/m/Uty/j 


fJi//7?u?i^'  ^^^^Z//?.«i^<;/^^#7Z!^/Z/- 


^-/'.^^    _  ^/fa/mc,/7S3 


^k 


/    _ 


The  Snare  broken, 

4 

A 

Thankfgiving-Difcourlej 

PREACHED 

At  the  Dcfire  of  the  Weft  Church 

IN 

Boston,  iV.  £.  Friday  May  23,  i^dd^ 

OCCASIONED    BY    THE 

E  P  E   A  L 

OF    THE 


Stamp-Ad. 


BY 

Jonathan  Mayhew,  D.  DJ 

Paftor  of  faid  Church. 

-Brethren^  ye  have  been  called  unto  liberty  ;  only  ufe  not 

Liberty  /er   an  ccccjijn  to  the  flsjh,  but  tj  love  ftrvs  om 
another,  A  p.  Pawl. 

tm.  •  II-  f^"      i  ^  I.  '  "• 

B    O    S    T    O    N.t 

Printed  and  Sold  by  R.  &S.  Draper,  inNew- 
bury-Street ;  EdesSc  Gill,  in Quecn-Str-^ct ; 
and  T.  8c  J.  Fleet,  in  GornhllL    3766. 


.%v^:ilfjkf}:»pc^i: 


THE 

DEDICATION, 

To  THE  Right  HoNoRABLti 

William  Pitt,  Efq; 

ONE    OF    HIS 

Majesty's 

MOST    HONORABLE    PRIVY    COUNrTL,' 
AND    AN    ILLUSTRIOUS 

PATRON  OF  AMERICA. 


o 

Ki 


ID  not  a  Wide  ocean  intervene,  the 
Author  of  the  enfaing  Difcourfe 
v/ould  not  prefumc  to  prefix  fo  great 

a  NAiriF.  to  a  littlePerformanceof  his,v/kh- 
oar.  firft  humbly  requefling  the  indulgence, 
and  obtaiiiino;  it.  Nor  would  he  truft  to 
\x\t  fufiidcncy  of  that  apology  for  taking 

this 


iv     D  E  D  I  C  AT  10  N. 

\t\as  liberty,  did  not  fome  perfons  perfwade 
.him  to  hope,  it  will  be  kindly  and  con« 
defcendingly  taken  as  a  teftimony  of  that 
iincere  gratitude  and  high  veneration, 
which  not  only  he  but  his  country  has  for 
ONE,  who  hath  twice  at  leaft  been  a  prin- 
cipal Inftrument  in  the  hand  of  GOD,  of 
favingGREAT  Britain  and  her  Colonies 
from  impending  ruin :  Once,  by  magnani- 
moufly  condu6ling  a  juft  and  glorious  war 
againft  foreign  nations ;  and  once,  by  pre- 
fcrving  peace  in  His  own  *, — by  exerting 
Himfelf  to  prevent  a  fatal  rupture  between 
Br  i  TA  IK  and  hcrCoionies,  and  to  re-eftab- 
liPn  fuch  an  harmony  as  elTentially  con- 
ceriis  the  \velfare  of  bo  the  ' 

At  the  late  moll  important  crisis,  You, 
Sir,  whom  no  rewards  could  ever  tempt, 
no  frowns  of  the  Great  ever  difmay,  no 
dangers  difconcert ;  and  to  whom*  fo  good 
jand  great  inYouifehv  no  cities,,' ho vvevjpr 
high,  could  pojTibly  add  any  new  dignity  or 
lu(h-e;  You,  Great  Sir,  was  not  "waJhamcd 
Qt  cur  chain",or  reluctant  at  {landing  forth 
to  plead  the  caufc  of  poor  .America  ;  ar^d 
to  Item  clic  mighty  tGircnt  that  was  againft 

her. 


D  E  D  IC  AT  JO  m      ^p 

ber, which  threatened  to  end  in  a  deluge  of 
blood  !  When  it  was  accounted  criminal 
by  many,  even  to  Hfp  but  a  broken  word  dr 
two  milcicfavor,  You,  Sir,  was  not  afhamr» 
ed  or  afraid  to  pour  forth  all  Your  unri- 
vall'd  eloquence  in  a  ftrenuous  vindication 
lof  Her  infringed  Rights.  And,  indeed^ 
her  caufe  being  fuppofed  good,  the  moite 
friendlefs  She  was,  the  more  She  needed^, 
and  in  fome  fore  deferved,  fo  powerful  *a 
patronage.  For,  furely,  great  talents  were 
given  for  great  occafions  ;  to  be  employed 
in  defence  of  the  innocent  and  feeble. 
God  made  fomc  men  firong,  on  purpofe  to 
.  *'  bear  the  infirmities  of  the  weak!'; 
that  they  might  be  able  to  afllft  and  fup- 
port  them  in  their  dangers  and  extremities ; 
as  You,  Sir,  have  ever  done,  fince  You 
> ^adorned  the  British  ienate;  and  particti- 
^^larly  in  a  late  ever-memorable  inftariee." 

■  -^fo.  Ycu,  Great  Sm,  under"  GOD  and 
theKiN0,  grateful  ArviERiCx-i  cbiefly  attri- 
butes it,  that  She  is  nov/  happily  re  "inflated 
in  the  enjoyment  of  her  former  liberties 
and  privileges  ;  tho'  She  has,  at  the  irime 
time,  a  vcrv  deep  fenfe  cf  her  oblip-ations 
to  other  great  r>nd  Uluftrioils  F'&fona2;es. 

"  If. 


n      DEDICATION: 

lF,3i?.,you  could^at  this  diftance^^aVeS 
adequate  conception  of  the  univerfal  joy  of 
A  TIE  RIGA,  preceeded  by  the  moft  alarm- 
ing apprehenfions  for  Her  liberties  :  If 
You  could  be  fully  fenfible  how  much  vrd 
afciibeitto  You,  that  they  are  not^loft*^. 
hov;,  next  to  the  King,  wc  blefs  You  as: 
our  common  Father,  and  fend  up  ardenr 
vows  to  Heaven  for  You  ;  this  would,  it 
muft  give  You  a  fublime,  and  truly 
Godlike  pleafure.  It  might  even  fuf- 
pend,  for  a  while,  the  fcverefl:  pangs  of  that 
'cxcruciatino;  diforder,  which  has  fo  often  de- 
tain'd  you  from  the  Br  i  t  i  sh  Senate,  to  the 
great  detriment  of  the  public  ;  particularly 
when  the  late  dreadful  Stamp-act  was 
palled.  Nay,  it  might,  perhaps,  without 
any  other  miracle,  grveYou  fuch  fplnes  and 
vigor,  as  to  "  take  up  Your  bed  and  v/alk," 
like  thofe  fick  and  lame  perfons  inftantly 
cured  by  the  word  of  liim,  who  cam^ 
from  Heaven  to  make  us  ^'  free  indeed'V  ''^ 


: ) c ^  \\ I  \ ] ver ial ,  fo  great  is  oi ir  j cy  ,  aitd :ra 
mncli,  Sir,  are  we  indebted  forit  to-yoqr' 
good  oH'c^s  !    But,  al:is  !    what  can  pot^ 
Ami- RICA  (loin  rccum?  Nothing  but  jTc- 

knovricdp-e 


DEDICATION.       >i 

Joiowledge  the  obligation  with  as  much 
fincerity  as  a  grateful  country  ever  acknow- 
ledged one ;  Nothing  but  call  you,  over 
and  over  again,  her  Father,  her  Father; 
and  endeavour  to  make  goodYour  generous 
engagements  for  her  prudent,  dutiful  be- 
havoiur  towards  her  Mother-country; 
Nothing  but  ere6i:  a  few  marble,  brafs  or 
copper  ftatues  in  honor  to  You  ;  (for 
America  has  but  little  filver  or  gold) 
flatues  that  will  be  of  no  fervice  to  You, 
fince  they  will  go  to  decay  long  before 
Your  name  and  memory  will  need  any 
fuch  poor  helps  to  preferve  them. 

Alas !  ASiBRVc A  can  Ao  no  more  !-— .' 
Yes,  Sir,  there  is  one  thing  more  :  She 
will  pray  that  Yon  may  long  live  in  health, 
happinefs  and  honor,  that  if  there  fliould 
be  any  occafion  hereafter,  as  in  time  paft. 
You  may  flep  in  and  prevent  Hers  and 
Br  I T  A I N  s  ruin,  Vv^hen  no  other  man  could ; 
and  thatt  when  You  muft,  according  to 
the  common  lot  of  men,  however  great 
and  good  (O  may  it  be  late  !)  ceafe  to 
plead  the  caufe  of  Liberty  on  earthy 
You  may  in  Heaven,   as   Your  reward, 

enjoy 


l?iu      DEDICATION. 

enjoy  "  the  glorious  Libertx  of  the  fons 
of  God"! 


I  AM,  With  the  wanneft  gratitude,  and 
higheft  veneration.  Right  Honorable  and 
Moft  Worthy 


Tom-  moft  ohedientj,    . 

Mofi  Dutiful 
"JUni  Moft  Humhk  S^rvcinty 

Jonathan  MAYHE^y,. 


(  ^  ) 


PSALM  CXXIV.  7,  8. 

Our  fotdis  efcaped  as  a  bird  from  the  fnar^ 
ojftbefo'wlers  ;  the  fnare  is  broken^  and 
ive  are  efcaped. 

Our  help  is  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  v^ho 

made  heaven  aiid  earths 


THE  late  gracious  appearance  of  divine  pro=* 
Vidence  for  us,  in  the  day  of  our  trouble, 
feemed  fo  feafonable,  fo  fignal,  f(?  impor^ 
tant;  in  a  word,  fo  interefting  to  the  prefentand 
future  generations,  that  we  of  this  Society  thought 
it  expedient  to  agree  among  ourfclves  upon  a  day, 
in  -order  to  take  a  particular,  religious  notice  of 
it  j  and  to  pralfe  the  name,  of  the  Lord,  in  whom 
is  our  help.  If  there  had  been  any  probability 
of  our  being  called  together  for  this  end  by 
Proclamation^  as  upon  fome  lefs  memorable 
occafions,  we  ihould  not  have  been  defirous  to 
anticipate  the  day  ;  v/hich  might  have  had  the 
appearance  of  oftentation.  But  of  that,  fo  far  as 
1  have  heard,  there  was-  vety  little,  if  any, 
profpe<ri.     By  this  perfectly  voluptarv,  and  free^ 

S  '  ml! 


(  2  .)  i. 

iviUvofrering,  I  hope  wc  fhall  render  to  God,  jn 
foine  poor  meafure,  the  glory  due  to  his  name  ; 
and  that  he  will  graciouily  accept  it,  thro'  our 
Lord  Jefus  ChrlH:  the  righteous,  our  mediator 
and  advocate  with  the  Father.  At  the  fame  time, 
it  is  fuppofed  that,  in  proceeding  thus,  we  give 
no  jud  ground  of  offence  to  Jew  or  Gentile,  or 
to  the  chuich  of  God  ;  which  we  would  by  no 
iiieans  do.  W^  only  exercife  that  liberty,  w^here*-, 
with  Chrill  hath  made  us  free,  being  defirous  that 
all  other  perfons  and  churches  fhould  do  the 
iame;  and  not  chufing  that  either  they  or  we 
fhould.  be  " entangled  with  any  yoke  of  bondage.'' 
Having  rendered  our  devout  thanks  to  God, 
whofe  kingdom  ruleth  over  all,  and  funghis  high 
]5raifes ;  permit  me  now,  my  friends  and  bre- 
thren, with  unfeigned  love  to  my  country,  to 
cohgmulate  you  on  that  intercfting  event,  which 
is  the.  fpecial  occafion  of  this  folcmnity :  An 
event,  as  I  humbly  conceive,  of  tlie  utmoft  im- 
portance to  the  whole  Britifh  empire,  whofe 
peace  and  profperity  we  ought  ardcnly  to  defire; 
and  one,  very  peculiarly  affcding  the  welfare  of 
thefe  colonies.  Believe  me,  I  lately  took  no  in-  -j^ 
cohfid^rable  part  with  you  in  your  grief,  And 
gloomy  apprehenfions,   on  account  of  a  certain 

fAR*L-iAMENTARY    ACT,     which  yOU  fuppofed 

ruinous  in  its  tendency  to  the  American  planta- 
tions, and,  eventually,  to  Great-Britain.  1  now 
partake  no  lefs  in  your  common  joy,  on  account 
of  the  REPEAL  of  that  aft  ; whereby  thelc colo- 
nies are  emancipated  from  a  flavifli,  inglorious 
bondage.;  are  re-inflatcd  in  the  enjoyment  of 

their 


( 


3     ) 


their  ancient  rights  and  privileges,  and  a  fonii- 
dation  is  laid  for  lading  harmony  bt  tweenGrcat^ 
Ikitain  and  them,  to  their  mutual  advantage. 

But  when  you  requeued  me  to  preach  a  fer- 
mon  on  this  joyful  occafion,  I  conclude  it  was 
neither  your  expe<flation  nor  defire,  that  I  fhould 
enter  very  particularly  into  a  political  confidera- 
tion  of  the  affair.  Had  I  conceived  this  to  have 
been  your  intention,  I  mull,  tho'  with  reluctance, 
have  given  you  a  refufal  ;  pirtly  from  a  convic* 
tion  of  the  impropriety  of  minutely  difculling 
points  of  this  nature  in  the  pulpit,  and  partly 
from  a  fenfe  of  my  own  inability  to  do  it  as  it 
ought  to  be  done.  1  fuppofe  I  :thali  belt  anfwer 
your  expectation,  as  well  as  mqfi:  gratify  my  own 
inclination,  by  waving  political  controverfy,  and 
giving  you  fiich  counfels  and  exhortations  re- 
fpe61ing  your  duty  to  God  and  man,  as  are  agree- 
able to  the  facred  oracles,  to  the  dictates  of  fober 
reafon,  and  adapted  to  the  occafion.  This  is, 
therefore,  what  f  chiefly  propofe  to  do  in  the 
enfuing  difcnurfe,  as  God  (liall  enable  me  :  And 
may  the  Father  of  lights  trach  me  to  fpeak,  and 
you  to  hear  in  fuch  a  manner,  that  ouradembling 
together  at  this  time,  out  of  the  ordinary  courfe; 
may  be  to  bis  honor,  and  to  chrilrian  edification. 

However,  if  my  dilcourfe  is  to  be  particularly 
adapted  to  this  great  occafion,  inftcad  of  being  fa 
general,  as  to  be  almoft  as  fuitable  to  any  other, 
you  are  fenfible  "it  is  neceflary  thai  the  occafion 
hfeif  fhould  be  kept  in  view.  I  iliali  therefore 
briefly  prcmife  a  few  things  ralative  thereto,  by 
way  of  intiodu»flion  to  the  main  defign;  fuch 
B  z  hiaiif . 


--iJ&fj,  Tm€an,i5  feall  bow  be  taken  for  granted. 

*'  Jn  mentioning  which^my  aim  will  be  to  exprefs, 

r.;   in  brief,  what  I  t^ke  %P  be  the  general  fenfeof 

.  !thefe  colonies,  rather  than  to  explain  my  o\vn. 

For  it  is  on  fuch  comraOnly-receivcd  opinions, 

that  my  exhortations  and  cautions  will  be  ground* 

cd  ;  leaving  the  particular  difcuffion  of  them  to 

Others,  who  are  better  qualified  for  it,  and  to 

whom  it  more   properly    belongs.     And   if  I 

Ihould.  be  miftaken  in  any  pf  thefe  particulars, 

it  is  hoped  candor  will  excufe  it ;  fteing  thefp 

are  matters  out  of  the  way  of  my  profeffioh. 

In  purfuance  of  this  plan,  it  fhall  now  be  taken 
for  granted,  that  as  we  were  free-born,  never 
made  (laves  by  the  right  of  conquelt  in  war,  if 
there  be  indeed  any  fuch  right,  nor  CM  as  {laves 
in  ^ny  open  lawful  m^Lvkctj  for  mcney ,  fo  wc 
iiave  a  natural  right  to  our 'oiOn,  till  we  hav? 
freely  confented  to  part  with  it,  either  in  perfon, 
or  by  thofe  whom  we  have  appointed  to  repre- 
fent,  and  ro  a(5l:  for  us. 

It  fhall  be  taken  for  granted,  that  this  natural 
right  is  declared,  affirmed  and  fecured  to  us,  as 
we  are  Britiih  fubje(fts,  by  Magna  Charta ;  all 
a^s  contrary  to  which,  are  faid  to  be  ipfo  fatlo 
null  and  void:  And,  that  this  natural,  conilltu- 
tional  right  has  been  further  confirmed  to  moti: 
of  the  plantations  by  particular  fubftquent  royal 
charters,  taken  in  their  obvious  fenfe  ;  <he  lega- 
lity and  authority  of  which  charters  wa?-  never 
once  denied  by  either  ^oufe  of  Parliament ;  hut 
Implicitly  at  leafl;  acknowledged,  ever  fince  they 
were  {e{oe<fl;vcIy  granted,  till  vcJry  lately. 


J^^'^.  -  It  is  lakcn  for  granted  ajfo,  that  the  right  of 
^a^'l^rial  by  juries,  is  a  eonftitutiohal  '6ffe-'  wirii'Tct' 
lofe<5l  to  all  Britifli  fubjeds  m  gen'crd,JJa^dcuIa^- 
,;r!iy  to  the  colonills ;  and  that  the  plant^iDn^  in 
which  civil,  goverpment  has  been  eftatlifhed^ 
have  all  along,  .till  pf  late,  been  in  the  uhintcr* 
53  ,ri»ptcd. enjoy me-nt  of  both  the  rights  '^forefeid, 
c »  ^hich  arc  of  the  utmoft  importanee,  being  eP 
icntial  to  liberty.  r   ■'  /^'^^^''■^■ 

It  ihall,  therefore,  be  taken   for  gratttfed,  that 

the  colonics  had  great  reafon  to  petition  and  rer 

^jfuonftrate  againft  a  late  afl  of  Parliament,  as  be- 

,n33|4ng  an  infraftion  of  thcfe  rights,  and  rending  di*- 

i3v-dire<5tly  to  reduce  us  to  a  ftate  of  flavery. 

It  is,  moreover,  taken   for  granted,  whatever 

becomes   of  this  queftion  about  rights,  that  an 

yff  (^6t  of  that  fort  was  very  hard,  and  juftly  grievous, 

-  '  not  to  fay  opprelTive  ;  as  the  colonies  are  poor, 

as  molt  of  them  were  originally  fettled  at  the 

fole  and  great  expence  of  the  adventurers ;  the 

expence  of  rheir  money,  their  toil,  their  blood  ; 

^iu;#s  they  have  expended  a  great  deal  from  time  to 

b^  jgctime  in  their  wars  with  their  French  and  Savage 

fi  .neighbours,  and  in  the  fupport  of  his  Majefty's 

Pjt"^  government  here;  as  they  have,  moreover,  been 

miii^ycr  ready  to  grant  fuch  aids  of  men  and  money 

Ota  ^%^  the  crown,  for  the  common  caufc,  as  they 

'loi  were  able  to  give  ;  by  which  means  a  great  load 

pi  4>f  debt  ftill  lies   on   feveral  of  them  ;  and  as 

y^fi  Great  Britain  has   drawn   vaft  emolument  from 

d.-:«them     in    the    way   of   commerce,    over    and 

,f|>  ^above  all  that  fhe  has  ever  expended   for  them, 

fiiher  in  ceac«  or  war :  So  that  ilie  h^  beyond 


(     6     ) 

all  comparifan,  richer,  more  powerful  and  rei" 
.pe<n^able  now,  than  fhe  would  have  been,  if  ouji- 
fathers  had  never  emigrated:  And  both  they  and 
their  pofterity  have,  in  eiTe<51:,  been  labouring, 
from  firfl:  to  laft,  for  the  aggrandizement  of  the 
mother-country.  In  this  light,  that  fhare  of 
common  jenje^  which  the  colonics  have,  be  it  more 
or  lefs,  leads  them  to  confider  things. 

It  is  taken  for  granted,  that  as  the  furpiifing, 
^lncxampled  growth  of  thefe  colonics,  to  the 
extenfion  of  his  Majelly's  dominion,  and  pro- 
digious advantage  of  Britain  in  many  refpe^U, 
has  been  chiefly  owing,  under  God,  to  the  liberr  ..^ 
ty  enjoyed  here;  fo  the  infiaOion  thereof  in  two- i> 
fuch  capital  points  as  thofe  before  referred  to, 
would  undoubtedly  difconrage  the  trade,  induf- 
try  and  population  of  the  colonies,  by  rendering 
property  infecure  and  precarious;  would  foon 
drain  them  of  all  their  little  circulating  money; 
would  put  it  abfolurely  out  of  their  power  to 
purchaie  Britifh  commodities,  force  them  into 
manufactures  of  their  own,  and  terminate,  if  not 
in  the  ruin,  yet  in  the  very  cfTential  detriment  of 
the  mother- country. 

It  fliall,  therefore,  alfo  be  taken    for  granted, 
that  altho'  the  colonics  could  not  juflly  claim  an 
exclufive  right  of  taxing   themfelvcs,   andth^.^^ 
right  of  being    tried   by  juries  ;  yet  they  had 
great  reafon  to  remonflrate  againll  the  ^t\  afore-    . 
faid  on  the  footing  of  incxpediencc,  the  great   . 
hardship,  and  dcllructive  tendency  .of  it  ;  as  a 
meafure  big  with  mifchief  to  Britain,  as   well  as 
to  themfelvcs  ;  and  promoted  at  fujlf   perha^:^, 
only  by  pcrfons  v.'ho  were  real  fdcnds  to  neither. 


(     7     ) 

jButas  to  any  methods  of  oppofition  to  that 
meafure,  on  the  part  of  the  colonies,  befidcs 
thofe  of  humble  petitioning,  and  other  ftridlly 
legal  ones,  it  will  not,  I  conclude,  be  fiippofed, 
that  I  appear  in  this  piece  as  an  advocate  fot~ 
them,  whatever  the  general  CcvSc  of  the  colonics 
iiiay  be  concerning  this  point.  And  I  take  for 
granted,  that  we  are  all  pcrfecflly  agreed  in 
condemning  the  riotous  and  fellonions  pro- 
ceedings of  certain  ?nen  of  Be  Hal, f  as  they  have 
been  julHy  called,  who  had  the  effrontery  tc 
eloke  their  rapacious  violences  -with  the  pretext 
of  zeal  for  liberty  ;  which  is  fo  far  from  being 
a  new  thing  under  the  fun,  that  even  Great 
Britain  can  furnifh  us  with  many,  and  much 
more   flagrant  examples  of  it. 

But,'  my  Brethren,  however  unconflitutlonalj. ' 
oppreiTive,  grievous  or  ruinous  the  aforefaid  aft 
was  in  its  nature,  and  fatal  in  its  tendency,  his 
Majefty  and  the  Parliament  have  been  pleafed  to 
hearken  to  the  jufi:  complaints  of  the  colonies, 
feconded  and  enforced  by  the  prudent,  fpirited 
conduiil  of  our  m.erchants;  by  certain  noble 
and  ever-honored  patriots  in  Great  Britain,  ef- 
poufing  our  caufe  with  all  the  force  of  reafon 
and  e!ov]uence,  and  by  the  general  voice  of  ihe 
iiation  :  i3o  that  a  total  repeal  of  that  dreadful 
ad  is  now  obtained.  His  Majefty  and  the  Par- 
liament were  far  too  wife,  juft  and  good  to  per- 
fillin  a  meafure, after  they  were  convinced  it  was- 
wrong  ;  or  to  confider  it  as  any  point  of  honor, 
to  enforce  an  aft  fo  grievous  to  three  millioa 
good  fubje(5ls;  fo  contrary  to  the  intercil  of  the 

Bndih 

t  Tlifi  Book  of  America,  Clrap.  II.  v.  13, 


(     8     ) 

Britifh  merchajits  and  manufa^rers,  ^nd  to  tht 
general  fenfc  of  the  nation.  They  have  been 
pleafed,  in  the  a(5b  of  repeal  itfelf,  greatly  to 
their  honor,  implicitly  to  acknowledge  their  fal- 
libility and  erroneous  judgment  in  the  other  a<fl, 
by  faying,  that  "  the  continuance  of  the  faid  a^ 
"  would  be  attended  with  many  inconvenience*, 
"  zndmight  beprodu<5livc  of  confequences great- 
'*  ly  detrimental  to  the  conrmercial  intereils  of 
"  tbqfe  kingdoms."  Thefe  being  the  rcafons 
afligned  for  the  repeal,  we  may  juftly  conclude^ 
that  if  thofe  manj  inconveniences  and  detrimen- 
tal confiquences  could  have  been  forcfccn,  the 
aft  complained  of  would  never  have  been  pafTed. 
And  as  the  fame  reafons  will  doubtlefs  operate 
atleaftas  ftrongly,  probably  much  more  ftrongly 
hereafter,  in  proportion  to  the  growth  of  the 
colonies,  than  they  do  at  prefent,  we  may  natu- 
rally conclude  alfo,  that  an  a<n:  of  the  like  nature 
will  never  again  be  heard  of. 

Thus  "  our  foul  is  efcaped  as  a  bird  from  the 
raare;of  the  fowlers  ;  th<3  fnare  is  broken,  and) 
we,  areefcaped  ;"  tho'  not  without  much  ftrug- 
gUng  in  the  fnare,  before  it  gave  way,  and  fee 
us  at  liberty  again.  But  when  I  fpeak  of  that 
pernicious  a(ft  as  a  fnare,  and  thofe  who  pre- 
pared, it  for  us  ^  fowler y,  greedy  of  their  prey,, 
let  it  be  particularly  obferved,  that  I  intend  not 
the  lead  reflexion  on  our  gracious  Sovereign 
or  the  Parliament;  who  mull  not  be  fuppofed 
to  have  any  evil  defigns  againft  the  colonies, 
which  are  fo  neceflary  to  Great  Britain,  and 
by  which  fo,many  thoufands  of  her  raanufac- 

twters 


(     9     ] 

(nrcrs  are  fupported,  who,  but  for  them,  muft 
actually  ftarve,  emigrate,  or  do  what  I  chi.]4e 
fo  forbear  mentioning.  No !  I  apply  this,  as'I 
conclude  you  will,  only  to  fome  evil-minded 
individuals  in  Britain,  who  are  true  friends  nei- 
ther to  her  nor  us  ;  and  who  accordingly  fpa- 
red  no  wicked  arts,  no  deceitful,  no  difliono- 
fflble,  no  difhonclt  means,  to  pufli  on  and  ob- 
f;iin,'as  it  we're  by /urp?'Ifif  an  a61  Co  prejudicial 
to  both  ;  and,  in  fome  fort,  to  the  enfnarhig  of 
his  M.ijcfty  and  the  Parliament,  as  well  as  the 
good  people  of  America  :  Being,  not  improba- 
bly, in  the  interefts  o'i  the  Houfes  of  Bonrbbii 
ahd  the  Pretender,  whofe  caufe  they  meant  to 
ferve,  by  bringing  about'  an  open  rupture  be- 
tween Great  Britain  and  her  colonies  !  Thefe, 
thcfe  menj  my  Brethren,  are  the  cunning  fcvj- 
Iers\  thcle  the  enjharcrsy  from  whofe  teeth  "  bur 
foul  is  efcaped  as  a  bird  :"  Arid  fuch  traitors 
will,  doubtlefsj  e'er  long  be  caught  in  another 
fnarc,  fuitable  for  them,  to  the  fatisfaclion  of 
the  King's  good  fubjects  on  both  fides  th.e;'At- 
lantic,  if  his  Majefty  and  the  Parliament  iliould 
judge  it  neceffary  for  the  vindication  bf  their 
own  iibnor,  or  for  the  public  good,  tb^'bfi'jig 
'th-cTn  to  condign  punifnment.  '  ■'■■'■^■^'; 

' ;  Let  mc  jufl  add  here,  that  according  to  Qljr 
iatcd  and  bed  advices,  the  King,  his,  truly,  pa- 
triotic Minidry  and  the  Parliament '  have  t& 
^irucrefl,  particularly  the  commercial  iri'tcrcrf 'of 
.the  colonies  much  at  heart ;  being  wct^  difpcfed 
*'ercn  to  enlarge,  inftead  of  curtailing  their  pri- 
.  vilegcs.  and  to  grant  us  everv  indylgcnce,  con- 


(       lO       ) 

ilftent  vvith  the  common  good  of  the  Britifh 
empire  ;  More  than  which  we  cannot  reafona- 
bly,  and,  I  am  perlliaded,  do  not  defire. 

Thcfe  things  being  premiledjlet  me  now  pro- 
ceed to  thofe  reflexions,  exhortations  and  cau- 
tions relative  to  them,  which  were  the  chief 
dcUgn  of  this  difcourfe.  And  the  prefent  oc- 
cafion  being  a  very  peculiar  one,  fuch  as  never 
before  occurred  in  America,  and,  I  hope  in  God, 
never  will  again  ;  I  fiiall  crave  your  indulgencp 
if  i  am  confiderably  longer  than  is  cuftomary 
on  other  occafions,  which  are  lefs  out  of  the 
ordinary  courfe.  - 

In  the  firfi:  place  then,  it  is  evident  from  the 
preceding  view  of  things,  that  we  have  the 
greatell  caufe  for  thankfulnefs  to  AlmightyGod, 
whodoeth  his  will  among  the  inhabitants  of  the 
earth,  as  well  as  in  the  armies  of  heaven.  He, 
in  whofe  hands  are  the  hearts  of  all  men,  not 
excepting  thofe  of  Kings,  fo  that  he  turneth 
them  whithcrfoever  he  will,  as  the  rivers  of 
•w'ater,  hath  infpired  the  people  of  America  with 
a  noble  fpirit  of  liberty,  and  remarkably  united 
them  in  (landing  up  for  that  invaluable  blefllng. 
He  hath  raifed  us  up  friends  of  the  greatell  emi- 
nence in  Britain,  in  our  perilous  circumftances. 
He  hath  united  the  hearts  of  almoll  all  wife 
and  good  men  there,  to  plead  our  caufe  and 
their  own  fuccefsfully.  He  hath  blcffed  the 
King  with  an  upright  Miniftry,  zealous  for  the 
public  good,  and  knowing  wherein  it  confifls. 
He  hath  given  the  King  wifdom  to  difcern,  and 
integrity  to  purfuc,  the  inrerclis  of  his  people, 

at 


(  II  ) 

at  the  iafe  .^larming  CRISIS,  wheq  To  much 
depended  on  the  meafuresthat  were  then  fpee- 
dily  to  be  taken  !  He  hath  changed  his  royal 
purpofe,  and  that  of  his  Parliament,  in  a  mat- 
ter which  nearly  and  eflentially  concerned,  at 
leaft  o//r  temporal  happinefs  ;  difpofing  theitl 
to  take  off  from  our  necks  that  grievous  and 
heavy  burden,  which,  to  be  fure,  was  not  put 
xjpoii  us  but  with  reluclance,  and  thro'  the  dif- 
honefl  artifices  of  certain  wicked  men  who, 
perhaps,  intended,  if  poflible,  entirely  to  alie-  ^ 
nate  the  alfeclions  of  the  colonifts  from  their 
common  Father  the  King,  and  from  theirMo- 
ther-country.  O  execrable  defjgn  !  to  the  ac- 
compliiliment  of  which,  the  pernicious  meafure 
.  albrcfaid  apparently  tended.  But  blcfled  be  He, 
who  goverueth  among  the  nations,  that  he  hath, 
confounded  the  devices  of  fuch  treacherous 
men.  To  allude  to  the  pfalm,  a  part  of  which 
J  mentioned  as  my  text  ;  "  If  it  had  not  been 
the  Lord  who  was  on  our  fide,  when  men  rofe 
,  up  againil  us,"  and  if  they  could  have  had  their 
'wicked  will,  "  then  they  had  fwdUowed  us  up 
*'  quick  ;"—*'  then  the  waters  had  overwhei- 
"  mcd  us,  the  {tream  had  gone  over  our  foul ; 
''then  the  proud  waters  had  gone  over  our  foifl. 
"  BlelTcd  be  the  Lord,  who  hath  not  given  us 
,''  as  a  prey  to  their  teeth  j"  the  ravening  teeth 
bf^'thofp  cumiing/ow/^rj,  from  whofe  treachc- 
^cs^^fnare  we  havejuftefcaped  ;  "  our  help  be- 
"  ii)g  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  who  made  hea- 
*'  ven  and  earth."  To  Him,  therefore,  \ve 
jiiftly  owe  tlio  undiiTemblcd  gratitude  of  our 
C  2'       '  heartSj 


(       12       ) 

hearts,  as  well  as  the  joyful  praifcfs  of  our  lips  : 
For  I  take  it  for  granted,  that  you  all  firmly 
believe,  that  Fie  who  made  the  world,  exerci- 
fes  a  providential  government  over  it ;  fo  that 
the  very  hairs  of  our  head  *'  are  all  numbered 
by,"  and  that  *'  a  fparrow  doth  not  fall  to  the 
ground  without"  Him.  How  much  more  then, 
is  his  providence  to  be  acknowledged  in  the  rife, 
in  the  prefervation,  in  the  great  events,  the  in- 
volutions, or  the  fall  of  mighty  ftates^and  kiugi- 
doms  ?  ■ '  -"■■^^  '.■i'\  .i.j'-o 

To  excite  our  ^^ratitude  to  God  the  more^ef- 
fecluaily,  let  us  confider  the  greatnefs  of  mir 
late  danger  and  of  our  deliverance  :  Let  us  rake 
a  brief  reirofpc6live  view  of  the  perplexed, 
wretched  ftate,  in  which  thefe  colonies  were, 
a  few  months  ago,  compared  with  the  joyful 
and  happy  condition,  in  which  they  are  at  pre- 
fent,  by  the  removal  of  their  chief  grievances. 

We  have  never  known  i'o  quick  and  general 
•  a  tranfition  from  the  depth  of  lorrow  to  the 
height  of  joy,  as  on  this  occafion  ;  nor,  indeed, 
fo  great  and  univerfal  a  flow  of  cither,  on  any 
other  occafion  whatever.  It  is  very  true,  we 
ha \^e  heretofore  ken  times  of  great  ad verfity. 
We  have  kiiown  leafons  of  droughr,dear'th;and 
fpreading  mortal  difeafes  ;  the  pdlilenceHv.aik- 
ing  in  darknefs,  and  the  deftrudion  waftingrat 
noon  day.  We  have  (ecn  wide  dovaflacions, 
made  by  fire  ;  and  amazing  tempefts,  the  hea- 
vens on  flame, the  winds  and  the  waves  roaring. 
We  have  known  repeated  earthquakes,  threat- 
ning  us  with  fpccdy   d^(tru(^lion.     We  have 

been 


(     13     ) 

been  under  great  apprehenllons  by  reafon.  of 
j^ormidable  fleets  of  an  enemy  on  our  coafts,; 
menacing  fire  and  fword  to  all  our  maritime 
towns.  We  have  known  times  when  theferench 
and  Savage  armies  made  terrible  havockon  our 
frontiers,  carrying  all  before  them  for  a  while  ; 
when  we  were  not  without  fear,  that  fome  ca- 
pital towns  in  the  colonies  would  fall  into  their 
mercilefs  hands.    Such  times  as  thele  we  have 
known  ;  at  fome  of  which  almoft  every  "  face 
gathered  palenefs,"  and  the  knees  of  all  but  the 
good  and  brave,  waxed  feeble.  But  never  have 
we  known  a  feafon  of  fuch  univerfal  confter- 
nation  and  anxiety  among  people  of  all  ranks 
and  ages,  in  thefe  colonies,  as  was  occafioned 
by  that  parliamentary  procedure,  which  threat- 
ned  us  and  our  poilerity  with  perpetual  bon- 
dage and  flavery.     For  They^  as  we  generally 
fuppofe,  are  really  (laves  to  all  intents  and  puf- 
pofes,  who  are  obliged  to  labor  and  toil  only 
for  the  benefit  of  others  ;  or,  which  comes  to 
the  fame  thing,  the  fruit  of  whofe  labour  and 
induftry  maybe  Azw/////)'  taken  from  them  with- 
out their  confent,  and  they  juftly  puniflied  if 
.  vthey  refufe  to  furreuder  it  on  demand,  or  ap- 
hiply  it  to  other  purpofes  than  thole,  which  their 
viaafters,  of  their  mere  grace   and  pleafurc,  fee 
jf;fit  to  allow.     Nor  are    there  many  ylmencan 
c2(under{tandings  accute  enough  to  dilHnguifli 
'Sany    material  diilerence    between   this  being 
:';?done  by  a  fingk  perfon,  under  the  title  of  an 
-labfolute  Monarch,  and  done  by  a  far-diftant 
ovjbgiliature  confiiling  ^i  many  perfpns.in  w^hich 
nWv  ^hcy 


(      14     ) 

they  are  not  reprelerxted  ;  and  the  inernbjens. 
\\'her^of,  infteadof  feeling,  and  Hiaring  equally 
"With  rhem  in  the  burden  thus  impofed,are  eafed' 
qf  their  own  in  proportion  to  the  greatnels  and 
Wcight'of  it.  It  may  be  queftioned, whether  the, 
ancient  Greeks  orRomans,  or  any  other  nation 
in  which  flavery  was  allowed,  carried  their 
idea  of  it  much  further  than  this.  So  that  our 
late;  apprehenfions,3nd  univerfaiconflernation, 
on  account  of  ourfelves  and  poderity,  w^fe 
far,  very  far  indeed,  from  being  groundkfs. 
For  what  is  there  in  this  world  more  wretched, 
than  for  thofc  who  were  born  free,  and  have 
si  right  to  continue  fo,  to  be  made  Haves  thera- 
felves,  and  to  think  of  leaving  a  race  of  Haves 
behind  ihcm  ;  even  though  it  be  to  mailers^ 
confefledly  the  moll  humane  and  generous  in 
the  world  ?  Or  what  wondsr  is  it,  if  after 
groaning  with  a  low  voice  for  a  while,  to  no, 
purpofe,  we  at  length  groaned  fo  loudly,  as 
to  be  heard  more  than  three  thoufand  miles  ; 
and  to  be  pitied  throughout  Europe,  wherever 
it  is  not  hazardous  to  mention  even  the  name 
of  liberty,  unlefs  it  be  to  reproach  It,  aS  piily\ 
another  name  for  fedition,fa(fi:ion  or  rebellion? 
Oil  the  otUer  hand,  never  did  the  tide  of 
jov  fwell  fo  high;  or  roll  io  rapidly  thro' .  the 
bofoms  and  veins  of  the  people  in  general,  on 
any  public  occafion,  as  on  the  news  of  THE 
REPEAL.  "  Then  was  our  mouth  tilledwith 
*'  laughter,  and  our  tongue  with  fmging,"  vjbek 
the  Lord  turned  our  captivity  ;  this  was  received 
^s  an  emancipatinr.  indeed, from  -unmerited Jlaverj. 

Nor 


I     '5     ) 

Norwere  there  ever  before  fo  great  extetmal, 
demon  ft  rations  of  joy  among  the  people  q{^ 
America  ;  not  even  when  all  Canada  was  rcr 
duiced,  or  when  it  Was  fecured  to  the  crown  of 
England  by  treaty,  and  ourapprehenfions  of  co- 
ming under  the  yoke  of  France  were  vanilhed 
away.  And  fome  there  arc,  who  fuppofe,  that 
Franee  would  not  have  hejfitated  at  allowing  fuch 
ii  (lupber  of  Hourilhing  colonies  the  exclufive 
right  of  taxing  themfeivcs,  for  the  fake  of  a 
free ,  trade  with  them,  could  they  have  beeu 
prevailed  on,by  violating  their  allegiance,to  put 
themfclves  under  her  protedion  ;  as  I  am  fully 
perfuaded  thefe  colonies  would  not  do,  for  all 
thatPrance  has  to  give.  In  m}^  poor  opinion, 
we  never  had  fo  much  real  occafion  for  joy, 
op  any  temporal  account,  as  when  we  were 
thus  emancipated,  and  our  foul  efcaped  as  a  bird 
from  the  dreadful  fnare.  And  I  am  perfwa- 
ded  it  would  rejoice  the  generous  and  royal 
heart  of  his  Majefty,  if  he  knew  that  by  a 
fingle  turn  of  the  fccpter,  when  he  affentcd  to 
THE  Repeal,  he  had  given  more  pleafure 
to  three  million  good  fubjecls,  than  ever  he  and 
his  royal  Grandfather  gave  them  by  all  the  tri- 
unaphs  of  their  arms,  from  Lake  Superior  Eaft- 
ward  to  thelfles  of  Manilla  ;  tho*  fo  numerous/o 
great,  fo  illullrious  ;  and  though  WE  partook 
fo  largely  in  the  national  joy  on  thofe  occar 
fi  ons.  A  PEPPER-CORN  "^  a  J  ear  added  to  his 
Majefty s  exchequer,  would  not  furely— — !  Biij: 
I  forbear. 

*  Sec  a  certain  ever  memorable  Speech  to  an  auguf!  sfTcrably- 

If 


(      i6     )     . 

If  you  pleafc,  we  will  now  defcend  to  fome 
farther  particulars,  rehuve  to  our  late  unhappy 
axid  prefent  joyful  circumilances,  in  order  to 
excite  our  thankfulnefs  to  God,  for  fo  memo- 
rable a  deliverance. 

This  continent,  from  Canada  to  Florida,  and 
theWefl-India  Iflands,  mod  of  them  at  ieail, 
have  exhibited  a  difmal  mixed  fcene  of  mur- 
muring, defpondence,  tumult  and  outrage  ; 
courts  of  juftice  fiiut  up,  with  cuftom-houfes 
and  ports  ;  private  jealoufies  and  animoCties, 
evil  furmifings,  whifperings  and  back-bitings, 
mutual  reproaches,  open  railing,  and  many 
other  evils,  fmce  the  time  in  which  the  grie- 
vous ad  aforefaid  was  to  have  taken  place. 
Aim  oft  every  Britifh  American,  as  was  before 
obferved,  confidercd  it  as  an  infradion  of  their 
rights,  or  their  dearly  purchafed  privileges, 
call  them  which  you  will;  and  the  fad  earneil 
of  fuch  a  galling  yoke  to  be  laid  on  our  necks, 
already  fome  what  fore  by  preceding  grievances, 
as  neither  we  nor  our  Fathers  were  able  to 
bear;  or  rather,  as  being  itfelf fuch  a  yoke, 
and  likely  to  grow  heavier  by  length  of  time, 
without  any  increafe,  cither  of  ability  or  pa- 
tience to  endure  it.  The  uneafniefs  was,.thece- 
fore,  juftly  great  aaid  univerfal^, except,  per- 
haps, among  a  few  individuals, _  whoeirlicr 
did  not  attend  to  confcquenccs,  or.who  cxpiec- 
tcd  to  find  their  private  account  in,  the  public 
calamity,  by  cxcrcifing  the  gainful,,  tho'  invi- 
.  dious,  and  not  very  reputable  ofiice  oi  tajhinap' 
ters  oTcv  their  groaning  countrymen  and  bro- 

.-    three  ; 


-.tlitcn.  Even  our honght  Negrp Jlavcs  appareiitly 
fhared   in  the  commoti  diftrcfs  :    For  which  otie 
cannot  eafily  aGCOunt,  except  by  fuppofihg  that 
even  fome  of  them  faw,  that  i^  the  aft  took  place, 
theirmafters  might  foon  be  too  poor  to  provide 
them  fuitable  food^rid  raiment ;  and  thought  it 
would  be  more'  ignominious  and  wretched  to  be 
the  fervants  offervants,  than  of  free-men. 
a»h  But  to  return.     The  general  difcontent  Ope-- 
.;med  very  differently  upon  the  minds  of  different 
.people,   according  to  the  diverfity  of  their  na- 
'■:  turai  tempers  and  conftitutions,   their  education, 
'teligious  principles,   or  the  prudential  maxims 
Wihich  they  had  efpoufed.     Some  at  bnce  grew 
'melanclioly,  fitting  down  in  a  kind  of  lethargic, 
dull  dcfparation  of  relief,  by  any  means  what- 
ever.    Others  were   thrown  ihto  a  fort  of  con- 
fternation,  not  unlike  to  a  phren^y  occafioned 
by  a  raging  fever ;  being  ready  to  do   any  thing 
or  every  thing,  to  obrain  relief;  but  yet,  unhap- 
pily, not  knowing  v/hat,  when,  where,  how;  nor 
having  any  tv/o  rational  and  confifteht  ideas  a- 
bout  the  matter ;  fcarcc  more  than  a  perfon  in  a 
-Sidetirium  has  of  the  nature  of,  or  proper  method 
of  curing  the  fever,  which  is  the  caufe   of  his 
madnefs.     Some  fev/  were,   I  believe,  upon  the 
:|3rinciples  of  Sibthorp,  Man  waring,  Filmer,  and 
-:that  goodly  tribe,  determined  to  go  no  farther  in 
Dibrder  to  obtain  redrefs,  than  in  the  way  of  pe- 
tition and  remonfhance  ;  and  this,  even  tho'  they 
had  bisen  fare  of  fuccefs  in  fome  hardy  enter- 
prize.     Others,  who  had  no  religious  fcruples  of 
dii?  kiiid,  yet  thought  it  extremely  imprudent 

P  '  mi 


V 


i8     ; 


and  hazardous  to  oppofe  a  fupci lor  power  m 
inch  a  manner  as  might, perhaps,  draw  rhe  whole 
Xvcighc  of  itsrcfentmcnt  on  the  colonies,  to  their 
dcftruiflion.  But  the  greater  part,  as  [  con- 
ceive, tho'  I  rnay  be  miftaken  in  this,  were  firm-- 
ly  united  in  a  confiftent,  however  imprudent  or 
defperate  a  plan,  to  run  all  rifques,  to  tempt  ail 
hazards,  to  go  all  lengths,  if  things  were  driven 
to  extremity,  rather  than  to  fubmit  ;  preferring 
death  itfelf  to  what  they  eftecmcd  fo  wretched 
and  inglorious  a  fervitude.  And  even  "  of  de- 
^'  vout  women  not  a  few"  were,  I  imagine, 
fo  far  metamorphofed  into  men  on  this  fad 
occaiion,  that  they  would  have  declined  hardly 
any  kind  of  manly  exertions,  rather  than  live 
to  propagate  a  race  of  flaves,  or  to  be  fo.them- 
felves.  In  fhort,  fuch  was  the  danger,  and  in  their 
opinion,  fo  great  and  glorious  the  caufe,  that  the 
fpirit  of  the  Roman  matrons  in  the  time  of  the 
commonwealth,  fecmcd  to  be  now  equalled  by 
the  fairer  daughters  of  America.  The  uneafinefs 
of  fome  perfons  was  much  encreafed  by  an  ima- 
gination, that  the  money  to  be  raifed  by  the 
duty  on  flamps,  would  partly  be  applied  to  pay 
certain  civil  officers  falaries;  whereby  they  would 
become  more  entirely  and  abfolutely  dependent 
on  the  crcw^n,  Icfs  on  the  people,  and  confe- 
qucntly,  as  was  fuppofed,  more  arbitrary  and  itf^ 
folent.  Others  were  anxious,  becaufe  they  Ima- 
gined, with  how  much,  or  how  little  reafon  you 
will  befl  judge,  that  the  money  was  to  be  chiefly 
applied  towards  maintaining  a  (landing  army  in 
America  ;  not  fo  much  to  defend  and  fecurc  the 

colonics 


(     ^9    ) 

colonies  from  enemies,  of  whom  they  had  noht , 
except  the  Siforckld  fowlers,  as  to  awe  the -colo- 
nies themfelves  into  an  implicit  obedience  to' 
minifl-erial  meafureSj  however  unjufl:  or  execrable 
in  their  nature.  There  is'  no  end,  you  know, 
to  peoples  fears  2.n6.  jealaufes^  w^hen  once  they, 
are  thoroughly  alarmed.  And  fb  Tome  fufpec^edj 
that  this  money  was  partly  intended  to  maintain 
a  (landing  army  of  bifhpps,and  other  ecclefiadics, 
to  propagate  the  importance  of  certain  rites  and 
ceremonies,  to  which  they  had  an  averfion  ;  the 
divine  right  of  diocefan  epifcopacy  and  tythes^, 
with  many  f/  ctetards,  of  the  like  facred  and  in- 
terejling  importance.  'Th<^^tjhange  notions  and 
Fears  prevailed  very  much  among  certain  odd  peo- 
ple, who  liked  their  old  religion,  and  were  not 
able  to  fee  the  reafonablenefs  of  their  paying  for 
the  fupport  of  any  other.  I  am  not  accountable 
for  other  people's  %ubimftcal  apprehcnfions  :  J 
^m  here  only  reprefenting  the  perplexity,  into 
which  peoples  minds  were  thrown  by  the  novL-l 
taxation,  according  to  their  different  views  of  li  ; 
a  taxation,  which  was  probably  never  thought  of 
till  a  few  years  ago,  when  it  was  propofed  to  a 
great  and  good  Secretary  of  State,  who  was  far 
too  friendly  to  the  colonies,  as  well  as  too  v^'ifei , 
to  burn  H  i  s  fingers  with  an  American  S T  a  m  f^ 
Act. 

-:-'This  diverfity  of  humours,  fentiments  and  or!- 
nions  among  the  coloniHs,  of  which  I  have  been 
fpeaking,  naturally  occafioned  great  animoii:';cs, 
mutual  cenfures  and  reproaches:  Infomuch  ihv: 
it  was  hardly  fafe  for  any  man  to  (peak  h;^ 
thoughts  on  die  times,  unlefs  he  cnuld  n 
D    ^ 


(      20     ) 

tear  fof' He  under  the  imputation  6f  hdng  -^ 
coward,  an  incendiary,  rebel,  or  enemy  to  his 
country  ;  or  to  have  fome  o^her  odium  cafl:  up- 
6n  hini.  In  the  mean  time  moft  of  the  courts 
were  fhut  up,  and  almpH:  all  bufinefs  brought  $b 
a  ftand ;  and,  in  fome  colonics,  wide  breac^^s 
were  made  between  their  fevcral  Governors  anjd 
Houfes  of  Aflembly  ;  thofe  governors  thinking 
It  their  duty  to  pufh  the  execution  of  the  ftam^p- 
aft  ;  and  fome  of  them  trying  to  prevent  the  af- 
femblies  petitioning,  in  the  joint  manner  propofed. 
In  this  (late  of  general  diforder,  approaching  (6 
near  to  anarchy,  fome  profligate  people,  in  dif- 
ferent parts  of  the  continent,  took  an  opportu- 
nity to  gratify  their  private  refentments,  and  to 
get  money  in  an  eafier  and  more  expeditious 
way  than  that  of  labor;  committing  abomina^ 
ble  excefTes  and  outrages  on  the  perfons,  <?jr.p.rQ- 
perty  of  others.  :x^.;:^    j   " 

What  a  dreadful  fcene  was  this!  Who  can 
take  a  curfory  review  of  it  even  nov/,  without 
Iiorror,  unlefs  he  is  lofl  to  all  fenfe  of  religion, 
%'irtue  and  good  order  ?  Thefe  v/cre  fome  of  the 
bitter,  and  in  a  good  mcafure,  the  natural  fruijjs 
of  that  unhappy  mcalure  which  prececded  tJ^^B. 
Nor  were  we  wholly  unapprehenfiye  of  fome- 
thing  ftill  worfe ;  of  having  a  more  dreadft|l 
fcene,  even  a  fcene  of  blood  and  flaughtcr  opened ! 
I  will  not  be  particular  here  ;  but  alk  you  what 
you  think  of  Britilli  fubje^ls  making  war  upon 
l^ritirti  fubjc(5l5  on  this  continent !  What  might 
U^is  have  terminated  in  ?  Perhaps  in  nothing  Icfs 
^to  th^  ynia  of  the  colonics,  and  ihe  downfall 


C   21    > 

of  a  certam  great  kingdom,  vi^hich- has^  Idng  *fe#ei.i 
the  fupport  of  other  ftates,  the  terfor  of  her 
enemies,  and  the  envy  and  glory  of  Europe  f-r^ 
If  I  had  myfelf,  once,  fome  apprehenfions"  of  this 
kind,  as  Iconfefs  I  had,  I  was  very  far  from  be- 
ing (ittgukt  therein.  One  of  th^  beft  judges  of 
'ibch  matters,  that  any  nation  or  age  ever  afford- 
ed, as  well  as  one  of  the  beft  men,  and  moftac- 
T^ipmplifhed  orators,  fpeaking  on  this  point  in  a 
"fertain  auguft  aflembly,  is  reported  to  have  ex- 
'|fefled  himfelf  thus.  **  On  a  good,  on  a  found 
^*  bottom,  the  force  of  this  country  can  crufh 
*-  America  to  atoms.  I  know  the  valor  of  your 
"troops ;  I  know  the  fkill  of  your  officers.*^-^ 
-**  But  on  this  ground,  on  the  Stamp-Act, 
^■^-  when  fo  many  here  will  think  it  a  crying  in- 
*'  juftice,  I  am  one  that  will  lift  up  my  hand 
"  againft  it.  In  Jiicb  a  caufs  your  fuccefs  may 
*'  be  hazardous.  America,  if  she  fell,  would 
*'  fall  like  a  ftrong  man,  would  embrace  the  pil- 
"  lars  of  ftate,  and  pull  doivn  the  conftituHon 
**  along  with  her.''  Thus  the  great  patron  of 
America,  t  Even  the  remoteft  apprehenfions  of  this 
kind,  muft  give  a  very  fenfible  pain  to  any  Ame- 
rican, who  at  once  flncerely  loves  his  own  couri- 
ity,  and  wifhes  that  the  happy  civil  conftitution, 
th<J  ftrehgth  and  glory  of  Great  Britain  may  be 
•^---'i'-'  ■  as 

'^.:^e  Right  H6n.  William  Pitt,  Erq;-^But  the  author  thinks 
Jt  a, piece  of  juftice  due  to  fo  great  and  rerpe(5table  a  came,  to 
actnowJedgc  that  he  has  no  better  authority  for  mentioning  it 
on  this  particular  occafica,  than  that  of  the  pubh"c  prints,  late- 
ly fpread  over  America  ;  giving  an  account  of  feme  debates  ii^ 
,,  the  honorable  Houfe  of  Cotrmons.  He  alio  ackrov,iedp,«s, 
^     that  this  is  ?.1J  the    authority  he  lias  for  citing  Uvrit.  olhcr faf- 


(  2^  ) 

ais  lafting  as  the  world,  and  ftill  Iiicreafing  •  5s 
God  is  my  witnefs,  I  both  wifli  and  pray.  If 
Britain,  which  has  long  been  the  principal  fup-- 
port  of  liberty  in  Europe,  and  is,  at  leaft  iva^^ 
the  chief  bulwark  againft  that  moft  execrable  of 
all  tyrannies,  Topery^  fhould  in  deftroying  her 
colonies  deflroy  herfelf  ;  (Heaven  forbid  it  !  ) 
what  would  become  of  thofe  few  Itates  which 
ate  now  free  ?  what,  of  the  proteflant  religion  i" 
The  former  might,,  not  improbably,  fall  before 
the  Grand  Monarch  on  this  fide  the  Alps  ;  the 
latter  before  the  Succejfor  of  the  apoftle  Judas, 
and  Grand  Vicar  of  Satan,  beyond  them  ;  and  {o\, 
at  length,  one  univerfal  defpotifm  fwallow  up  all  [ 
Some  of  us  had,  lately,  painful  apprchenfions  of 
this  kind,  when  there  was  talk  of  a  great  mili- 
tary force  coming  tojlamp  America  into  a  parti- 
cular kind  of  fubjeclion,  to  which  moil:  people 
here  have  an  invincible  avcrfion. 

It  would,  doubtlefs,  have  been  a  noble  efTort 

of  genius  and  humanity  in  the —  what  fhall  I 

call  them  ?  foivkrs  or  financiers  ? — to  extort  a 
little  money  from  the  poor  colonies  by  force 
of  arms,  at  the  rifque  of  fo  much  mifchicf  to 
America,  to  Britain,  to  Europe,  to  the  world. 
And  the  golden  temptation,  it  is  faid,  took  with 
too  many,  for  a  while.  A  Pandora's  box,  or  Tro» 
jan  horfe,  indeed  !  0^*\2^1^"^^ 

O  miferi,  quse  tanta  infania,  cives  b-:'-\' 

Creditis  ave6tos  hqfles  ?    aut  ulla  putatis    .  ;. 

Dona  carcrc  dolis  Danaum  ?  (ic  notus —  I  f . 

But  not  to  digrefs.     I  have  now  briefly  re-. 

mii'ided  you  of  our  late  fad,  perplexed,  alarming 

clrcumftances; 

I  ^.n    II. 


(     23     ) 

circti m fiances ;  not  for  the  fake  of  reproaching 
thofe  who  brought  us  into  them,  but  to  excite 
your  gratitude  to  God,  for  our  deliverance  out 
of  them,  and  for  our  prefent  happy  comHtion, 
i :  The  repeal,  the  repeal  has  at  once,  in  a 
good  meafure,  reftored  things  to  order^  and  com- 
pofed  our  minds,  by  removing  the  chief  ground 
of  our  fears.  The  courfe  of  jufHce  between  man 
^nd  man  is  no  longer  obflrufled  ;  commerce  lifts 
up  her  head,  adorned  with  golden  trelles,  pearls 
and  precious  Hones.  All  things  that  went  en 
right  before,  are  returning  gradually  to  their  for- 
mer courfe  ;  thofe  that  did  not,  we  have  reafoa 
to  hope,  will  go  on  better  now;  almoft. every 
perfon  ^ou  meet,  wears  the  fmiles  of  content* 
ment  and  joy  ;  and  even  our  flaves  rejoice,  as 
tho'  they  had  received  their  manumiflion.  Indeed, 
all  the  lovers  of  liberty  in  Europe,  in  the  worlds 
liave  reafon  to  rejoice ;  thecaufe  is  in  fome  mea* 
fure  common  to  themand  us.  BlelTed  revolution ! 
glorious  change  !  How  great  are  our  obligatrons 
for  it  to  the  fupreme  Governor  of  the  world  f 
He  hath  given  us  beaiitj  for  oJJjes,  and  the  oil  of 
gladnefs  for  the  fpirit  f  keavivef  :  He:  hath 
turned  our  groans  into  fongs,  our  mournhig  inU 
daricing  :  H&h^xh  put  off  our  fackcloth^  and  gird- 
ed us  with  gladnsjs^  to  the  end  that  our  tongues, 
our  glory  may  fiiig  praifes  to  him.  Let  us  all 
then  rejoice  in  thelord,  and  give  honor  to  him ; 
not  forgetting  to  add  the  obedience  of  our  lives, 
a-s  the  beftfacrifice  that  ^^e  can  offer  to  Heaven ; 
and  which,  if  negle<5led;  will  prove  all  our  other 
facriiices  have  been  but  oftentation  and  hypo- 
crify,  which  arc  an  abomination  to  the  Lord. 

The 


C    H   ) 

T!ie  apoftle  Peter  makes  a  natural  trafifitioii 
firom  fearing  God  to  honoring  the  King.     Let 
me,  accordingly,  in  the  next  place,  exliort  you, 
my  friends  and  brethren,  to  a  refpedlful,  loyal 
and  dutiful  manner  of  fpeech  and  condu<5t,   re- 
fpe<fting  hisMajeftyand  his  government;  thereby 
making  a  fuitable  return  to  him  for  the  redrefs 
of  our  late  grievances.     I  am,   indeed,  well  ap- 
prifed  of  the  firm  attachment  of  thefe  colonies  \x\ 
general,  and  of  our  own  province  in  particular, 
to  the  King's  perfon,    and  to  the  proteftan't  fuc- 
ceffion  in  his  illuftrious  Houfe  ;  for  the  prefer- 
vation  of  which,  there  is  hardly  a  native  of  New- 
England,   who  would  not,    upon  conftitutional 
principles,  which  are  thofe  of  liberty,  chearfully 
hazard  his  life ;  or  even  more  lives  than  one,  if 
he  had  them  to  lay  down   in   fo  good  a  caufe. 
I  have  not  the  Icaft  fufpicion  of  any  difaife^ion 
in  you  to  his  Majefty  :  But  yet  the  duty  of  fub- 
jects  to  Kings,  and  to  all  that  are  in  authority,  is 
frequently   to  be  inculcated  by  the  miniftcrs  of 
the  gofpel,  if  they  will  follow  the  example  of  the 
apoftles  in  this  refpe<fl:.     And  theprcfent  occafion 
feems  particularly  proper  to  remind  you  of  that 
important  duty  ;  fince  we  have  now  before  us  a 
recent  and  memorable  proof  of  his  Majefty's 
moderation,  his  attention  to  the  welfare  of  his 
people,   and  readinefs,  fo  far  as  in  him  lies  ac- 
cording to  the  conftitution,  to  redrefs  their  grie- 
vances, on  reafonable  and  humble  complaint. 
If  any  perfons  among  us  have  taken  it  unkindly, 
that  his  Majefty   fhould  have  given  his  royal 
affent  to  an  a<5t,  which  they  think  was  an  infrac- 

tion 


(     25     ) 

tion  of  thofe  liberties  and  privileges,  to  which 
they  were  juftly  intided  ;  and  if  the  ufual  tide 
and  fervor   of  their'  loyal  affedion  is  m  any' 
degree   abated  on  that  account  ;  yet,  furelyf 
the  readinefs  which  his  Majefty   has  fhevVn  to' 
h'ear  ahd  redrefs  his  people's  wrongs/ ought  tb"; 
grve  a  new  fpring,  an  additional  vigor  to  thelt^^ 
loyalty  and  obedience.     Natural  parents, 'thro' 
hujiian   frailty,  and  miftakes  about  h&s  ''and 
clt^cumftanceSjfometimes  provoketheir  chtMrtntd 
wWih^  tho' they  tenderly  love  them,and'lincere- 
ly  defire  their  good.   But  what  affedidnate  and 
dutiful  child  ever  harboured  refcntment  bn  any 
fuch  account,  if  the  grievance  <\^as  rertioYed, 
o'i\  a  dutiful  reprefentatiori  of  it  ?    Hardly  any 
thing  operates  fo  (IrongTy  on  ihgenuous  minds, 
tho'  perhaps  of  quick  iefentment,  aS  the  mild 
cdndefccnfion  ot  a  fuperibrto  the  force  of  reafon 
and  right  oil  the  part   of  the  inferk>r.     I  fliall 
make  no  application  of  this,  any  farther- than 
to  remind  you,  that  B'ritifli  ki'ngs    are  the  p6-. 
litical  Fa  f  k  e  R  s  of  their  people,  and  th^^  p^d-  ' 
pie  their  'C^  i  l  d  r  e  n  ;    Che   formdr   afe^;4ioC 
tyrants yO^  Wqw  maflers  ;    the   latter-are  ndt- 
Jta^h\Q\f'eym'firvanfs.  ■  ^^hinrist^  intml 

^  liet  me  farther  exhort  you  to  pay  d'Ht"HP^ 
peel  ill  all  things  to  the  BritiGi  Parliament  ;  tH^ 
liords  and  Commons  being  two  branches  d'f* 
the  fupreme  legifiative  over  all  his  Majefty'isl 
don-tinions.  The  right  of  parliament  to  luper-' 
intend  the  general  affairs  of  the  colonies,  to' 
dircd,  check  or  controulthem,  fecms  to  be 
fuppofedin  their  charters ;   all  which,  Ithinl^, 

•  "*'  •  '    B  while 


(       26       ) 

Tvjiile  they  grant  the  power  of  legiflation,  Wrint 
the  exercife  of  it  to  the  enading  fuch  laws  as 
are    not  contrary  to   the  laws   of  England,  ot* 
Great-Britain ;  fo   that  our  feveral  legiflatureg' 
are  fubordinate  to  that  of  the  niother-counrry, 
which  extends  to  and   over  all  the  King's  do- 
minions :  At  lead,  fo  far    as  to  prevent    any 
parts  of  them  from  doing  what  would  be  either 
dellruclive  to  each  other,  or  manifeftly  to  thel 
ruin  of  Britain.     It  might  be  of  the  mod  dan-' 
gerous  confequence  to  the  mother-country,  to 
relinquifh   tliis   fuppofed    authority   or   rightvt 
which,  certainly,  has  ail  along  been  recognized  i 
by  the  colonies  ;  or  to  leave  them  dependent 
on  the  crown  ow/y,  fmcc,  probably,  within  an 
century, the  fubjccts  in  them  will  be  more  than^l 
thrice  as   numerous  as  thofe  of  Great-Briraiim 
and  Ireland.     And,  indeed,  if  the  colonics  are'> 
properly  parts   of  the   Britifli  empire,  as  it  is 
both  their   interell  and  honor  to  he,  it    feems  i; 
abfurd  to  deny,  that  they   arc  fubjcc'l   to  theiL- 
highcfl:  authority  therein, or  not  bound  to  yieldiJ(_ 
obedience  to   it.      I  hope  there   are  very  fewA 
peoplp^  if  any,  in  the  colonies,  who  have  theD 
lea  ft  inclination  to  renounce  the  general  jurif-:o 
diction  of  Parliament  over  them,  whatever  we  A 
may  think  of  the  particular  right  of  taxation^^fi 
If,  in  any  particular  cafes,  we  Ihould  think  ourxv\\ 
felves  hardly  treated,  laid  under  needlefs  andu'l 
unreafOnable  reftridions,  or  curtailed   of  any  .'i^ 
liberties  or  privileges,  which  other  our  fellow"3i 
fubjc6ls  in  common  enjoy  ;  we  have  an   un-riJ 
doubted  right  to  complain,  and,  by  humble  andiol 

refpedful, 


(       27       ) 

refpeclful,  tho'  not  abjecl  and  fervile  petitions, 
to  feek  the  redrefs  of  fuch  fuppofed  grievances. 
The  colonics  are  men,  and  need  not  be  afraid 
to  afTert  the  natural  rights  of  men  ;  they  are 
Bricifh  fiibjecls,  and  may  juftly  claim  the  com- 
mon rights,  and  all  rhe  privileges  of  fuch,  with 
plainneis  and  freedom.  And  from  what  has 
lately  occurred, there  is  reafon  to  hope,  that  the 
Parliament  will  ever  hereafter  be  willing  to  hear 
and  grant  our  juli  requefls  ;  efpecially  if  an}?" 
grievances  Jliould  take  place,  io  great,  i^o  ge- 
neral and  alarming,  as  to  unite  all  the  colonies 
in  petitioning  for  redrefs,  as  with  one  voic^. 
The  humble  united  prayers  of  three  or  four 
miliio-n  loyal  fubjedls,  fo  conneded  with  Great 
Britain,  will  not  be  thought  unworthy  of  a  fe- 
rious  attention  ;  efpecially  when  feconded  by 
fuch  fpirited  refolutions  and  conduct  of  the  A- 
merican  Merchants,  as  they  have  lately  given 
an  example  of.  Humble  petitions,  /o  enforce  J, 
always  carry  great  weight  with  them  ;  and,  if 
jufl:  and  reafonable,  will  doubtlefs  meet  with  a 
fuitable  return,  as  in  the  late  inftance  ;  iince 
Great  Britain  can  fcarce  fubfift  without  the  trade 
of  her  colonies,  which  will  be  ftill  increaling. 
And  an  equitable,  kind  treatment  of  them,  on 
heniparrV'-'will  firmly  bind  them  to  her  by  the 
//;n?^M'f&ir^of  dutyjinterefland  filial  affection  ; 
fuch  an  an  one  as  the  wife  man  fays,  is  not  ea- 
Jt I j:  broken  :  This  would  do  more,  far  more  to 
recaia  the  colonies  in  due  fubjeCtion,  than  all 
theiieets  or  troops  fhe  would  think  proper  to  fend 
foi*  :tbaC"^urpdfe. " 

'yifb^^G\  E  2  But 


(       28       ) 

hut  to  return  ;  we  ought,  in  honor  to  bnr- 
felves,  as  well  as  duty  to  the  King  and  pariia- 
menc,  to  fruflrate  the  malicious  prf^phecies,  if 
not  the  hopes  of  fome  perfons  in  Britain,  who 
have  predicted  the  moll  ungrateful  and  indecent 
returns  from  us  to  our  mother-country,  for  de- 
liverance from  the  late  grievances.  It  has  been 
foretold  that,  in  confequence  thereof,  the  co- 
lonies would  grow  infolentand  affuming  ;  that 
they  would  afFecl  a  kind  of  triumph  over  the 
authority  of  parliament  ;  that  they  would  little 
or  nothing  regard  it  hereafter,  in  other  cafes  ; 
that  they  would  give  fome  broad  intimations 
of  their  opinion,  that  it  was  not  for  want  of 
inclination,  but  of  power,  that  the  late  grievous 
Sic\  was  not  enforced  ;  that  they  would  treat 
their  brethren  in  Britain  in  an  unworthy,  dif- 
refpedful  manner  ;  and  the  hke.  Such  things 
as  thefe  have  been  predicted,  and,  probably,  by 
tbofe  very/ow/d-rj  who  contrived  the /w^jr^, from 
which,  to  their  great  mortification,  our  foul  is 
now  efcaped  as  a  bird.  Let  us,  my  brethren, 
.(for  it  is  in  our  power,  and  it  is  our  duty)  make 
fuch  men  falfe  prophets,  by  a  contrary  beha- 
viour ;  "  prophets  of  the  deceit  of /^f/r  owfi 
*^  hearts."  This  might,  probably;  vex  theai 
forely  ;  (Ince  it  is  likely,  their  chief  arm  is,  to 
bring  about  a  fixed,  confirmi^d  difafTedlion  on 
our  part,  and  a  fevere  rcfentment  on  the  other, 
\vhile  the  jealous  enemies  of  the  growing  pow- 
er of  Britain,  wagg  their  ever-plotting- and  en- 
terprifing  heads,  faying,  *'  Aha  !  fo  wc  would 
*'  have  it.  "     Let  us  highly  reverence  the  fu- 

preme 


:        (29  ) 

.iri-i^r^iiie  authority  of  the  Britifh  empire,  which 
'fiil  tP  us  is  the  higheft-,  under  that   of  Ii^aven.— 
'fi  ^.Let  us,   as  much  as  in  us  hes,  culdvare  har- 
oriv.rnony  and  brotherly  love  between  our  fellow 
jns  iubjedls    in  Britain  and  ourfelves.     We  fhali 
^^t>  ^^oubtlefs   find  our  account    in   this   at  laft, 
nascf^H*^^:^^^^  ^^^'^  i^  ^  contrary  way  of  procee- 
-00  #ng.     There  are  no  other  people  on  earth, 
jfirft  that  fo  "  naturally  care  for  us."     We  are  con- 
3rij  -jEe^^ed  with  them  by  theflrongefl  ties ;  in  fome 
3hiil  Hieafure  by  ^/(5o^ ;  for  look  but  a  century  or 
2oif two  backhand  you  will  find  their  anceftors  and 
noiiPurs,  in  a  great  meafure  the  fame  perfons,  tho' 
o  jfitheir  pofterity  is  now  fo  divided.      We  are 
i,r."..flrongly  connected  with  them  by  a  great  com- 
mercial intercourfe,  by  our  common  language, 
by  our  common   religion   as  proteftants,  and 
by  being   fubjeds   of  the  fame  King,  whom 
God  long  preferve  and  profper,  while  his  e- 
nemies  are  cloathed  with  Hiame. 

If  we  confider  things  properly,  it  is  indeed 
our  great  felicity,  our  bell  fecurity,  and  high- 
efl  glory  in  this  world,  to  ftand  in  fuch  a  re- 
lation as  we  do,  to  fo  powerful  an  empire  ; 

one  which    rules  the  ocean,  and  wdierein  the 

ch  iprinciplcs  of  liberty  are  in  general  predomi- 
c2i  frA¥"f'  it:  would  be  our  mifery,if  not  our  ruin, 
fioiiS^^T^^e  -cad  ofT  by  Great-Britain,  as  unworthy 
bo  ^er  farther  regards.  What  then  would  it  be, 
)q  gin  anyfuppofeable  way,  to  draw  upon  ourfelves 
bfifithe  whole  weight  of  her  juft  refentment ! 
)V7  -What  are  w^f  in  the  hands  of  that  nation,  which 
^ri-  fo  lately  triumphed  over  the  united  powers  of 
France  and  Spain  >    Though  ic  muii,  indeed, 

be 


(     30     ) 

be  acknowledged,  that  fhe  did  this,  in  a  great 
raeaiure,    by    means  of  her   commercial    iii- 
tercourfe  with,  and  aids  from    the  colonies  : 
Without     which     (he    muft     probably  have 
made  a  more  inglorious   figure   at   the  end, 
than  fhe  did  at  the  beginning  of  the  lall  war  j 
cv^en   tho'  Mr.  Pitt    himfclf    had   had    the 
io^e  dire^^ion    of  it    under     his    Majelly.  — 
Confider  how   many  millions    of  people  there  < 
sf^e  in  other    countries,      groaning     in   vain - 
\inder-  the  iron  fceptre  of  mercilefs  defpotiim>^ 
\vho,  if  they  were  but  imperfecftly  apprifed  oftj 
the  happineis  we  enjo\^,  would    moii  ardcndy^^i 
defire  to  be  in  our  fituation,  and  to  ftand  in  the../ 
like  relati  in  to  Great  Britain.     Let  us  not  bci-? 
inlenhble  of  our  own   felicity  in  this  refpecl^v-> 
jet  us  not  entertain  a  thought  of  novelties  or 
innovations,  or  be  "  given  to  change."     Let  us  ^ . 
not  indulge  to  any  groundlefs  jealoufics  of  iUx 
intentions  towards  us  in  our  mother-country,;^ 
"whutever  there  may  be  in  fome  defigning  in^,jj 
di\iJuals,  who  do  the  devil's  work,  by  fowingj, 
dilcord.     It  is  for  the  intereft  of  Britain,  asJJj^r^ 
luell  kwrus,  to  retain  the  afre<^ion  of  tliefcgrpvyr^a-i 
jn^  colonies,  and  to  treat  them  kindly  to  thatni 
end  :  And  this  bond  of  intereft  on  her  part,  t^.-ti 
the   flrcngcil:    fccurity   to  us,  which    wc  can^^"^ 
have  in  any   political  relation  whatever.     W^yj^ 
arc  hound,    i!i  honor  to  the  King  and  Parlja-:  ,  ' 
incnr,  tofuppofe,  that   it  was  not  for  want  of  ^q 
ability  to  enforce  a  late  acl,  and   to  crufli  us,',£» 
tlint"  it  was  repealed  ;  but  from  a  conviction  of  ^jo 
the  incxpediencv,the  Jan^erons  confequences,  and    -. 

711  f^^ 


(     31     ) 

rnany-  inconvenlencies  of  continuing  it.  ^^. And 
th'e  like  rearon«  will  probably  operate  forever 
againfl:  any  ad  of  the  fame  nature,  and  grciy, 
Itronger  and  flronger. 

It  can  anfwer  no  valuable  end^  for  lis  to 
harbour  grudges  or  fecret  refentinent  on  ac- 
count of  reclfefled  and  pad  grievances  ;  no 
good  end' wantonly  and  grofsly  to  infulr,  and 
thereby  to  incenfe  any  particular  powerful 
pcrfons  on  the  other  fide  of  the  water,  as  the 
fuppofed  enemies  of  the  colonies.  To  me 
this  feems;/impolitic  at  lead: ;  as  it  may  per- 
haps make  fuch  perfons  our  enemies,  if  they 
were  not  fo  before  ;  or,  if  they  were,  fix  their 
enmity;  and  make  them  more  indutlrious  than 
ever  in  feeking  opportunities  to  do  us  mifchief. 
Much  lefs  can  it  anfwer  any  good  end,  to  af- 
fcdl:  to  triumph  over  the  pov^'er  of  Parliament : 
This  would,  in  fliort,  appear  equally  infolent, 
didoyal  and  ridiculous,  in  the  eyes  of  all  fober, 
unprejudiced  men.  May  God  give  us  the  wif- 
dom  to  behave  ourfelves  w'lXh  humility  and 
moderation,  on  the  happy  fuccefs  of  our  late 
remonftrances  and  druggies  ! — We  arc  bound 
in  honor  fo  to  behave,  not  only  that  we  may 
fruftrate  the  malignant  predi^ions  before  re- 
ferred to,  but  that  we  may  anfwer  the  ju ft 
cxpc6lation  o^  our  friends  in  Britain,  who 
fo  nobly  efpoufed  our  caufe,  and,  as  it  were, 
pawned  their  own  honor,  (how  great  and 
facred  a  pledge  I  )  for  our  good  condu<fl:,  if 
our  grievances  were  removed.  By  fuch  an 
engagement  they  did  us  honor,as  it  manifefted 
their  candid  and  kind  fentimencs  concerning 

us. 


■  (     32     ) 

us,  ,-^ This  lays  us  under  an  additionarobligati-, 
on,:  in  point  of  gratitude,  to  that  good  beh^r  ' 
viour,  which  would  have  been  our  duty  with-, 
out  it.  I  cannot  but  here  remind  you  part!- 
cuiarly  of  the  words  of  that  in:imortal  patriot 
in  Parliament,  who  has  now  a  fecond  time, 
been  the  principal  means  offaving  Britain  and 
her  colonies  from  impending  ruin.f  "  Say,** 
fuid  he,  "  the  Americans  have  not  in  all  things 
"  a6ted  with  prudence  and  temper  :  Thel' 
"  have  been  wrong'd  ;  they  have  been  driven 
"  to  naadnefs  by  injuIHce.  Will  you  now  pu-- 
"  ni(h  them  for  the  madnefs  you  have  occalio- 
"  ncd  ?  Rather  let  prudence  and  temper  come 
"  fir  ft  from  this  fide  ;  I  w^ill  undertake 
'*  FOR  America  that  flic  will  follow  the  ex- 
"  ample."VVhatSON,eitherofAMERICAorof 
LIBERTY  is  there,  that  has  the  leaft  fpark  of 
ingenuity,  who  can  help  being  touched  and 
penetrated  to  the  inmoft  recefTes  of  the  heart, 
by  fuch  magnanimous  and  generous  exprefli- 
ons  in  behalf  of  the  colonies  ?  Who  is  there, 
that  would  notalmoft  as  willingly  die,  as  that 
THAT  illuftrious  Patron  of  America  lliould. 
ever  have  occafion  to  be  a(hamed  of  efpouilng^ 
itscaufe,  and  making  himfclf  anfwerablc  for 
us  ?  We  had  other  advocates  of  diftinguidied 
eminence  and  worth,  who  generoufly  came 
under  fimilar  engagements  for  us.  God  for- 
bid, my  brethren,  that  any  one  of  themfliould 
ever  have  the  leaft  reafon  to  blufh  for  his  ill 
placed  confidence  in  us  ;  as  all  of  them  will, 
if  wefhcw  any  unworthy  behaviour  towards 

Che 
'  t  The  Rt.  Hon.  Mr.  PITT, 


(     33     ) 

tlie  King,  the  Parliament  or  our  Mother-coun* 
try,  after  this  proof  of  their  moderation,  and 
regard  for  us.  And  if  Thej,  our  friends,  ftiould 
hive  caufe  to  biufh  for  us  in  this  rcfpc<^,  what 
mull:  we  do  for  ourfelves  !  Where  fnail  we  find 
caverns  far,  enough  removed  from  the  light  of 
day,  in  which  to  hide  our  heads !  Or  what  rea- 
fon  fhall  we  have  to  expetH:  friends,  advocates 
and  fponfors  again,  how  much  foever  we  may 
rfeed  them,  if  we  have  no  more  regard  for  the 
honor  of  thofe  who  appeared  for  us  at  the 
late  alarming  crifis  ;  when  it  was  accounted 
ajmoll  criminal  to  fay  any  thing  in  onr  behalf? 

Let  me  fubjoin,  that  as  the  good  people  of 
this  province  had  the  honor  to  lead  in  a  fpiritcd, 
tho'  decent  and  refpcclfui  application  for  the 
redrefs  of  our  late  grievances  ;  methinks  they 
ihould  now  be  ambitious  to  have  the  honor 
of  leading  in  a  prudent,  temperate,  wife  beha- 
viour, in  confequcnce  of  the  fuccefs ;  and,  if  need 
be,  as  1  hope  there  is  not,  ambitious  of  fetting  an 
cxanVple  of  moderation  and  dlfcretion  to  other 
colonics.  This  honor  v/ould  be  equal  to  the 
firfl  mentioned  ;  and  would  probably  recommend 
iss  grcaciv  to  thofr,  whom,  it  v. ill  always  be  our 
3:ite^*ell:  and  duty  to  pleafe  ;  fo  long,  at  leall,  as 
i^'t  catV  do  it  without  renouncing  our  birth-right, 
it  will  contribute  to  remove  any  impreflions  that 
may  have  been  made  of  late,  to  our  difad vantage. 
It  will  at  once  gratify  our  bell  friends,  and  falllfy 
the  ilanders  of  our  enemies,  who  delight  in  re- 
prcfenting  us  as  a  feditious,  faftioLis  and  turbu- 
lent fort  of  people,  who  cannot  endure  the 
F  wholfome 


V     34     . 

rwholefoine  and  necelTary  rcftraints  of  govern* 
ment.  May  God  rebuke  them  for,  and  forgive 
them  this  wrong  !  _ 

Let  none  fufpeft  that,  becaufe  I  thus  urge  tKt 
duty  of  cultivating  a  clofe  harmony  with  qui 
*irtoi her- country,  and  a  dutiful  fubmifllon  to  the 
King  and  Parliament,  our  chief  grievances  being 
redrefTed,  I  mean  to  di(I\vade  people  from  having 
a  juH:  concern  for  their  own  rights,  or  le^al,coi>- 
ftitutional  privileges.  Hiftory,  one  may  prefuhiic 
to  fay,  aflbrds  no  example  of  any  nation,  coun- 
try or  people  long  free,  who  did  not  take  fome 
care  of  thcmfelves:  and  endeavour  to  guard  and 
fecure  their  own  liberties.  Power  is  of  a  grafp- 
ing,  encroaching  nature,  in  all  beings,  except  in 
Him,  to  whom  it  emphatically  "  beiongeth"  ; 
and  who  is  the  only  King  that,  in  a  religious  or 
moral  fen fe,  *'can  do  no  wrong."  Power  aimsat 
extending  itfelf,  and  operating  according  to  mere 
-wiilf  where-evcr  it  meets  with  no  ballance,  check, 
controul  or  oppofition  of  any  kind.  For  which 
reafon  it  will  always  be  neceilary,  as  was  faid 
before,  for  thofe  who  would  preferve  arid  per- 
petuate their  liberties,  to  guard  them  with  a 
wakeful  attention;  and  in  all  righteous,  juil  and 
prudent  ways,  to  oppofe  the  firfl  encroachments 
on  them.  ''  Obfla  principiis."  After  a  while  it 
will  be  too  late.  For  in  the  ftatcs  and  kingdoms 
of  this  world,  it  happens  as  it  does  in  the  field 
or  church,  according  to  the  well-known  parable, 
to  this  purpofc;  That  while  men  Jleep,  then  the 
tnnny  comeih  and  foweth  tares,  whicli  cannot  be 
rooted  out  again  till  the  end  of  the  ivorld,  with-. 
•out  rooting  out  the  ivhfat  with  them.  ^f 


(     35     ) 

*-^ff  T  may  be  indulged   here   in   faying  "a'fcW 
^Ords  more,  rerpe<^ing  my  notions  of  liberty -in 
general,  fuch  as  they  are,   it  fhall  be  as  follows. 
^'' Having  been  initiated,   in  youth,  in  "the  doc- 
^}hes    of  civil  liberty,   as   they  were  taught  by 
^ch  men  as  Plato,   Demofthenes,    Cicero    and 
cither  renowned   perfons   among  the  ancients.; 
"kiii  fuch  as  Sidney  and  Milton,  Locke  and  Hoad- 
ley,   among   tiie  moderns;  I  liked  them;  they 
feemed    rational.       Having,    earlier   ftili   learnt 
frbm  the  holy  fcriptures,    that    wife,  brave  and 
Verrtuous  men  were  always   friends  to   liberty'; 
that  God  gave  the  Ifraelites  a  King   [or  abfolute 
Monarch]  in  his  anger,  bccaufe  they  had  not  ft^fe 
and  virtue  enough  to  like  a  free  common-wealth, 
arid  to  have  himfelf  for  their  King;  that  the  Son 
8f  God   came  down   from  heaven,    to  make  us 
-^^free  indeed" ;  and  that  "  where  the  Spirit-  of  the 
■1>brd  is,  there  is  liberty";  this  made  me  conclude, 
that  freedom  \^as  a  great  blefling.     Having,  alfo, 
from  my  childhood  up,   by  the  kind  providence 
of  my  God,    and  the  tender  care  o^  a  good  pa- 
rent now  at  reft  with  Him,  been  educated  to  the 
love  of  liberty,  tho'  not  of  licentioufnefs  ;   which 
•-'Chafte  and  virtuous  pafllon  was  ftill  incrcafed  in 
'-fH^,-  as  I  advanced  towards,  and  into,  manhood  ; 
- 1-  would  not,  I  cannot  now,  tho'  pad  middle  age, 
^^I'elinquifh  the  fair  object  o£  my  youthful  affec- 
■■  tions.  Liberty  ;   whofe- charms,  infleadof  de- 
.  caying  with  time   in  my  eyes,    have  daily  capti- 
vated me  more  and  more.     I  was,   accordingly, 
penetrated  with   the  moll   fenfible  grief,  when, 
^auf  thcf'JI  of  November  Jaf^  that  day  of  dark- 
F  Z  nefs 


C     36     ) 

.  Xiefs,.a  day  hardly  to  be  numbered  with  the  other 
days  of  the  year,  She  feemed  about  to  take  her 

.  jpnal  departure  from  America,  and  to  leave  that 

^.Oigty  Hag  ^/jt;^/;>',  the  deformed  child  of  Satan, 
Jia  her  room,  I  am  now  filled,  with  a  propor^ 
tionablc  degree  of  joy  in  God,  on  occafion  tif 
Hlr  fpeedy  return,  with  ncwfmileson  her  face, 
•with  augmented  beauty  and  fplcndor.— — Of^ce 
more  then,  Hail!  ceicdial  iVlaid,  the  daughter  of 
God,  and,  excepting  his  Son,  the  fjrd-lbor.n.^^f 
heaven!  Welcome  to  thefe  fhores  again;  wel- 
come to  every  expanding  heart !  Long  maycft 
thou  relidc  among  us,  the  delight  of  the  wile, 
good  and  brave  ;  the  protertrefs  of  innocenj^e 
from  wrongs  and  opprefHon,  the  patroaefs  of 
learning,  arts,  eloquence,  virtue,  rational  loyalty, 
religion  !  And  if  any  mifcrable  people  on  the 
continent  or  ifles  of  Europe,  after  being  weaken- 
ed by  luxury,  debauchery,  venaUty,  ipteftine 
quarrels,  or  other  vices,  fhould,  in  the  rude 
collifions,  or  now-unccrrain  revolutions  of 
Ivingdoms,  be  driven,  in  their  extremity,  to 
feek  a  fafe  retreat  from  flavery  in  fome  far- 
diflant  climate ;    let  them    find,    O   let   them 

.  fin4  one  in  America  under  thy  brooding, 
facred  wings  ;  where  dnr  opprelTed  fathers 
once  found  it,  and  wc  now  enjoy  it,  by  the 
favor  of  Him,  whofe  fervice  is  the  fnof^  glo- 
rious freedom  !  Never,  O  never  may  He  per- 
jnit  thee  to  forfake  us,  for  our  unworthinefs  ro 
enjoy  thy  enlivcnins^  prcfcnce!  By  His  high  per- 
i^ii/ilon,  attend  us  thro'  life  and  death  to  the 
region?  of  the  blcdcd,  thy  ordinal  abode,  there 


C     37     ) 

1^-v'^ojoy  forever  the  '*  glorious  liberty  "of^'tKc 

iM  fons  of  God  1" — —But  I  forget  myfelf ;  whi^ 

iGther  have  I  been  hurried  by  this  enthufiafm,  or 

.-Sj^hateVer  elfe  you  will  pleafe  to  call  i t  ?  I  hope 

your  candor  will  forgive  this  odd  excurdon,  for 

iilvhichl  hardly  know  hovv  to  account  myfelf. 

i^i*      There  were  two  or  three  things  mOre  which 

3i'intended  to  fay  relative  to  this  joyful  occafion. 

^o   To  go  on  then,  thefe  colonies  are  better  than 

^<^ver  apprifed  of  their  own  weight  and  confe- 

Iqtaence,  when  united  in  a   legal  oppofition  to 

•  iafiy  unconftitutional,   hard  and  grievous  treat- 

r^bent ;  which  may  be  an   advantage  to  them. 

'>God  often  bringeth  good  out  of  evil ;  or  what 

%  intended  for  evil  by  men,  is  by  him  meant  for 

,^ood.     So  it  was  particularly  in  the  memorable 

-eife  of  Jofeph,  whom  his  hard-hearted,  envious 

brethren  fold  as  d.JIave  into  Egypt.     There  he 

became  great,  and  his  Father  and  brethren  were 

at  length  obliged   to  have  recourfe   to  him,  to 

keep  them  and  their's   from  peri(hing. And 

thus,  not  improbably,   may  good  come  out  of 

our  late  troubles,  as  well  as  out  of  thofe  oppref- 

iifions,  which  occafioned  the  flight  of  our  fore- 

, Others  into  the  defarts  of  America.     The  great 

?.ihock  which  was  lately   given   to  our  liberties, 

vmay  end  in  the  confirmation  and  enlargement 

of  them  :  As  it  is  faid,    the  (lately  oaks  of  the 

foreft  take  the  deeper  root,   extend   their  ar>ms 

the  farther,  and  exalt  their  venerable  heads  the 

higher  for  being  agitated  by  dorms  and  rcrapcfts, 

provided   they  are  not  aiftually  torn  up,  rent  in 

piec€%  or  c[uite  blaOed  -by   thf?  lighrniDg  of  hcn- 


(     38    ) 

wa.  And  who  knows,  our  liberties  being  thus 
eftabKfhed,  but  that  on  fome  future  occafioti^ 
when  the  kingdoms  of  the  earth  are  moved,  arid 
roughly  dafhed  one  againfl  another,  by  Him  that 
"  take^h  up  the  ijles  as  a  very  little  thing,"  we, 
or  our  poilerity  may  even  have  the  great  felicity 
and  honor  to  "  fave  much  people  alive,"  and 
keep  Britain  herfelf  from  ruin.  I  hope  fhe  will 
Xiever  put  it  out  of  our  power,  by  deftroying  us'.; 
or  out  of  the  inclination  of  any,  by  attempting  iC. 
It  is  to  be  hoped,  the  colonics  will  never  abiife 
0r  raifapply  any  influence  which  they  may  have, 
when  united  as  aforefaid  ;  or  difcover  a  fpirit  of 
murmuring,  difcontent  or  impatience  under  the 
government  of  Great  Britain,  fo  long  as  they  are 
Juftly  and  kindly  treated.  On  the  other  hand, 
%  is  to  be  hoped,  they  will  never  lofe  a  ju[l  rcnfe 
of  liberty,  or  what  they  may  reafonably  expcft 
from  the  mother-country.  Thefe  thingis  shcy 
will  keep  in  mind,  if  they  are  wife;  and  cuLti- 
We  a  firm  friendfhip  and  union  with  each  other 
u^pon  equal  terms,  as  far  as  diftince  and  other 
drcumftances  will  allow.  And  if  ever  there 
Ihould  be  OGcafion,  as  I  finccrely  hope  and  pray 
there  may  not,  their  late  experience  and  lliccefs 
^A^ill  teach  them  how  to  a6l,  in  order  to  obtaio. 
the  redrefs  of  grievances ;  I  mean,  by  joint,  man- 
ly and  fpiritcd,  but  yet  refpe^tful  and  loyal  peti- 
liomng.  Setting  afide  fome  excefics  and  ont- 
lages,  whkh  all  fohcr  men  join  in  condemning^ 
I  believe  hifl-ory  affords  few  examples  of  a  more 
general,  generous  and  jufl  fcnfe  of  liberty  in  any 
jaur.trv,  than  has.  appealed  ia  Amcriea  within 

5k: 


(     39    ) 

the  year  paft :  In  which  time  tlie  mercantlk 
part  in  particular  have  done  themfelves  mupfe 
honor,  and  had  a  great  fhare  in  prefervlng  the 
liberties  of  the  plantations,  when  in  the  vrno^ 
Imminent  danger  :  Tho'  this  is  not  faid  with  the 
leall:  thought  of  refle*5ting  on  any  other  body  of 
order  of  men,  as  wanting  in  their  endeavours  to 
the  fame  noble  end.  Had  we  patiently  reteivecl 
^the  yoke,  no  one  can  tell  when,  or  whether  cvet 
it  would  have  been  taken  off.  And  if  there  bt 
fome  animals/ adapted  by  nature  to  bear  heavy 
burdens  fubmiffively,  one  of  which,  however,  b 
faid,  on  a  certain  occafion,  to  have  had  the  gift  of 
Jpeech,  and  exportulatcd  with  his  maftcr  for  an* 
jullly  fmiting  him  ;  I  hope  the  Americans  wilt 
never  be  reckoned  as  belonging  to  that  fpiritleli^ 
flavifli  kl'nd,  tho'  their  "powers  of  fpee<:h"t 
^ould  not,  in  the  opinion  of  fome  namele% 
heroic  pamphlcteer-fcoffers  in  Britain,  exceed 
thofe  of  the  other.  Hov/ever  defcOive  they 
may  be  in  point  of  '*  eioqence,"t  I  thank  Godi 
they  can  at  iealt  /eel^  and  complain  fo  as  to  be 
tolerab  ly  underJioQd. 

^.;   If  your  patience   will  hold  oui',   I  will  add  3, 
^few  Vvords  further,  by  way  of  advice,  and  jo 
^cbnclude.      While   we  endeavour   to   cultivate 
harrnony  and  union   with  our  mother-country 
and  our  fiiler-colonies,  in  all  generous  and  man*- 
ly  ways,  v/e  fhould  not,  furely,  negled  to  culti- 
vate the  fame  among  ourfelves. 
^     There  have,  I  am  forry  to  fay  it,  but  really 
7.there  have  lately  been  many  unvvarrai>table  jea- 

loufies, 
t  An  abufive,  fupcrficial  pamphlet  in 'favor  of  the  roeafures  cf 
t\">.  .<ate  cnirjiilry. 


(     4<^ 


lotifics,  and  bitter  mutual  reproaches  amoftg 
the  people  of  this  town  and  province,  occa- 
fioned  by  that  unhappy  mcafure,  which  has  been 
fo  often  referred  to.  Even  wife  and  good  men, 
tho'  all  equally  againfl  that  meafure,  could  n<H» 
however,  agree  what  was  to  be  done,  upon 
the  maxims  of  prudence,  tho'  alike  concerned 
for  the  public  vv^fare.  Accordingly  fome  were 
blamed  as  too  warm  and  languine,  others  as  too 
phlegmatic  and  indifferent,  in  the  common  and 
noble  caufe  of  liberty.  Many  were  cenfured, 
.and  fome,  I  am  well  affured,  very  unjuftly,  as 
•^feeing  freinds  to,  and  cncouragers  of,  the  fatal 
'mcafure  aforefaid.  But  how  far  thefe  accufations 
were  jufl:  or  unjuft,  on  either  fide,  I  will  not  take 
upon  me  particularly  to  determine.  Be  that  as 
it  may,  is  it  not  bell,  my  Brethren,  to  let  thefe 
contentions  fubfide,  now  the  end  is  obtained, 
and  we  have  (o  fair  a  profpe^t  before  us?  Are 
there  any  valuable  ends  to  be  anfwercd  by  per- 
petuating thefe  difputes  ?  I  cannot  readily  con- 
ceive any  :  Perhaps  it  is,  becaufe  I  have  lefs  pene- 
tration than  moil  others.  Be  it  as  it  v.ill,  I 
know  One,  and  One  whom  we  all  profefs  to 
reverence,  who  hath  laid,  "  BlefTedare  thtpeac€- 
*^  makers^  for  they  fhall  be  called  the  child'ren 
"  of  God."  And,  "Let  us  iludy  the  things  that 
**  make  for  peace,''  faid  he  that  was  not  behind  the 
chief  of  the  apoftles,  "  and  the  things  wherewith 
"  one  may  edify  another."  Thefe  fayings  may 
apologize  for  me,  if  I  am  wrong  in  **  preaching 
peace"  at  this  time.  And  if  none  will  be  offend- 
ed with  me  for  fpeaking  plainly  as  to  this  matter, 

To 


I  41  ) 

To-me  it  really  feems  mod  prudent,  mofl:  chrif- 
tiah,  t;o  bury  in  oblivion  what  is  paft  ;  to  be- 
gin our  civil,  political  life  anew  as  it  were,  from 
diis  joyful  and  glorious  sera  of  reflored  and  con- 
firmed liberty;  to  be  at  union  among  ourfelves; 
to  abftain  from  all  part j  names  and  national  re- 
flexions, refpeftinganyofour  fellow  fubiecls  ; 
arid  to  exert  ourfelves',  in  our  feveral  ftations, 
to  promote  the  common  good,  "  by  love  fer- 
f'  ving  one  another."  Let  lis^tiake  allowances 
mutually  for  human  frailty,  for  our  different 
tiews'and  conceptions  of  things,  which  may 

.^e  in  a  great  meafure  unavoidable;  for  difference 
of  natural  conflitution,  an  unequal  flow  of  ani- 
mal fpirits,  or  ftrength  of  nerves  :  Let  no  one 
cenfure  another  more  hardly,  if  at  all,  than  the 

Jpecellity  of  the  cafe  plainly  requires„     I  hope 

Jhefe  counfels  of  peace  will  not  be  difrelifhed 
lijby  any  "  Son  of  peace,"  or  any  wife  and  good 

■  man,  that  does  me  the  honor  to  be  my  auditor 
on  this  occafion  ;  for  I  mean  not  to  give  of- 
fence, but  only  to  do  good.  Such  counfels  as 
they  are,  I  humbly  commend  them  to  the  God 
of  love  and  peace,  to  whofeholy  will  I  believe 
them  agreeable,f  or  his  blefling  ;  that  they  may 
have  their  juft  influence  on  all  that  hear  them. 

,  And  you  will  not  forget,  that  we  muft  all  one 
^;^^ay  give  an  account  to  Him  ;  fo  that  it  nearly 
\.*,<:oncerns  us  to  have  our  ways,  motives,  and  all 
y'our  doings  approved  by  him.       In  fine, 

Let  us  all  apply  ourfelves  with  diligence,  and 

in  the  fear  of  God,  to  the  duties  of  our  refpec- 

G  tive 


(      42       ) 

uveftaclons.  There  has  been  a  general  diflipa^ 
tion  amdiig  us  for  a  long  time;  a  great  negle£t 
aiitl  ftagnation  of  bufinefs.     Even   the  poor^ 
and  labouring  part  of  the  community,  whom 
i  am  very  far  from  defpifing,ha\e  had  Jo  much 
to -fay  about  government  and  politics,  in  thh© 
lute  times   of  danger,  tumult  and.«:.CQi^fi4ijai^ 
tharm-iny  of  them  feemcJ.  ta  fcj^t^,  ,y.^^ey-)ii^^f 
any  t  king^  to  do.     r;:cchink§,:.Jf5^IYp.i4i^~A§WiMl 
c^p-edicut  for  ibcfji,  ^and    perhaps  ..i>.>r>rrDrt4>(-% 
\.-,,  to'So-fbmediing  more,  and  talk  Ibmer.Hri-gv 
L-'^s ;  -every  one  ''  iludying  to  be  quiet,  and  t^o? 
^^Kxoii/^ bufinefs;"  letting  things  jcturn  peace- 
ably into  their  old  channels,  and  natural  couifss^;; 
after  {o  long  an  interruption.     My  immediate 
aim  in  what  I  now  fay,  being  only  to  recom- 
mcnd  induflry,    good  order    and  harmony, 
I  will  not  meddle  with  the   thorny  queftion,^ 
whether,  or  how  far,  it  may  be  juftinable  for^ 
private  men,  at  certain  extraordinary. conjunc-. 
t:ire3,  to  take  the  adminillration  of  government 
in  ,  prne  reJpech  into  their  own  hands.     Self-' 
prefervation  being  a  great  and  primary  law  of  j 
nature,  and  to  be  CQi:ifidercd  as  antecedent  tp.  > 
all  civil  laws  and  inftitutions,  v^hich^areiubor-  i 
dinare  and  fubfervient  to  the  other  ;  tji^* right  ^ 
of  fo  doing,  infome  circum(l:ances,ca,anot  \Yerit, 
be  denied.     Biit'  certainly,  there  is  no  plaufible 
pretence    for   fuch  a  conduct  among  us  ;7«?'w/* 
Thar  which  may  be  excufeable,  and  perhaps  , 
hudable,  on  fome  very  fmgular  emergencies,  -: 
woukf.  at  othci^  times  be  pragmatical,  feditious^ 

and 


(     43     ) 

afliJ^1^%h-handed  prefumption.  Let  all  therer 
fere  flow  join  with  heart  and  hand  in  fupporting 
the  lawful,  eonftitutional  government  over  us 
fefit^  jull  dignity  and  vigor  j  in  iupporting  his 
Majerty's  Reprefentative,  the  civil  magiftrates, 
and  all  perfons  in  authority,  in  the  lawful  ex^ 
ercife<)f  their  feveral  offices.  No  true  friend  of 
liberty  can  reafonably  obje^i  againft  this  ;  and 
if  any  perfons  Ihould,  it  would  Ihew  that,  while 
they  fpeak  great  f welling  words  of  vanity,  ma- 
king liberty  the  pretext,  they  themfelves  are  the^> 
ffervants  of  corruption,  the  ignoble  flaves  of  fin. 
Withotst  this  due  regard  to  government  and 
laws/ \Ve  (hall  flill  be  mifefable,  my  friends, 
iit)twith(Vahding  all  thatGod  and  the  King  have 
done  td  make  us  happy.  If  one  had  wings 
like  a  dove,  it  were  better  to  fly  far  away,  and 
remain  alone  in  the  wildernefs,  where  he  might 
b'e  at  reft,  than  to  live  in  a  fociety  where  there 
is-  no  orddr,  no  fubordination  ;  but  anarchy 
atid  Gohfufion  reign.  Of  thefe  we  have  furely 
hadenough  already  ;  tho'  at  the  fame  time  I 
blefs  God,  that  there  has  not  been  much  more, 
confidering  the  great  danger  in  which  we  hav^ 
been,  with  the  general  alarm  and  confternation, 
by  reafon  of  that  which  is  faid  to  make  "even 
a^Wife'man  mad,"  and  much  more  the  rafh  and 
indilcrete  ■  of  whom  there  is  a  great  proportion 
in  all  communities  ;  confidering  alfo  the  abfo- 
lute  ncceifity  there  was,  or  at  lead  feeraed  to 
be,  of  fume  very  uncommon  ftruggles  and  ex- 
crtionSj  in  order  to  break  the  fnare^  and  the 

natural 


:(  44  ) 

natural  irapetuofity  of  many  pcople*s  tempers. 
So  important  a  change  in  the  fituation  of  pub- 
lic aifairs,  fo  great  a  deliverance,  has,  perhaps, 
feldom  been  brought  about  in  any  country, 
with  fo  little  criminal  excefs,  unlefs  it  were 
done  by  God  alone,  without  the  inftrumenta- 
lity  or  agency,  of  men,  by  nature  liable  to  fo 
jnany  errors  and  infirmities.  But  whatever 
there  has  been  of  this  kind,  ought  to  be,  and  I 
hope  is,  lamented  by  all  good  men.  May  that 
God,  in  whom  our  help  has  been,  continue  to 
proted  us,  our  rights  and  privileges  !  May  he 
dired  our  paths  thro*  this  uncertain  life,  and 
all  the  changes  of  it  ;  and,  of  his  infinite  mer- 
cy in  Jefus  Chrift,  finally  bring  us  all  to  thofe 
peaceful  and  glorious  regions,  where  no  evil 
fpirits,  no  wicked  foiulers  will  come  ;  where 
j\o  fnares  will  be  fpread  for  us  ;  no  proud  waters 
ta  go  over  our  foul !  And  if  we  hope  for  admif- 
fion  into  thofe  eternal  manfions  of  joy,  let  eve- 
ry one  of  us,  as  theapoflle  Peter  exhorts,  "  ho- 
"  nor  all  men,  love  the  brotherhood,  fear  GOD, 
**  honor  the  King." 


A  M  E  N  ! 


i^^^ 


